Last week, Burger King launched its new "Impossible" nuggets in three test markets: Des Moines, Boston, and Miami, where the chain is headquartered.
But don't head to the drive-thru just yet. These limited-time-only "chickenless" nuggets are a digital exclusive.
That means you'll need to download the Burger King app to place your order at one of the 50 participating Miami-Dade locations.
Nor are these your wallet-friendly dollar-menu nuggets. A plant-based four-piece order costs $3.50, the eight-piece $3.99. Burger King's traditional, chicken-based chicken nuggets cost $1.19 and $1.49 per order, respectively.
Burger King is the first fast-food chain to offer Impossible Foods’ vegan chicken nuggets, which join a growing list of nonmeat items at the fast-food giant. In 2019, the company introduced the Impossible Whopper, followed last summer with an Impossible Croissan'wich.
Since then, other fast-food giants have joined the plant-based party. Just last week, McDonald's announced it planned to test a "Beyond Meat"-based McPlant burger in eight U.S. cities, having already rolled it out in the U.K. (Unfortunately, Miami didn't make the cut for the McPlant, according to Market Watch.) Another Miami-based chain, Pollo Tropical, has jumped on the vegan bandwagon with a "Beyond" picadillo TropicChop.
As with the Impossible Whopper, Burger King isn't claiming the product is a fit for hardcore vegans; the nuggets are cooked in the same oil as its meat and dairy items.
Reached by New Times, a Burger King representative could not confirm whether a dedicated vegan-friendly fryer is on tap in the future.
Despite the shared fryer, South Florida resident and vegan Jody McGlinley embraces the menu addition. "Making options like this mainstream and accessible to people everywhere is just the beginning of helping people change," McGinley tells New Times. "When the goal is animal liberation, we want to make plant-based options easy and convenient."
Impossible Foods says the nuggets are made from a base of soy and sunflower oil and yield a crispy breadcrumb coating and a juicy interior. A blend of herbs and seasonings adds savory flavor, while wheat flour is used to create breadcrumbs that, when deep-fried, make for a crispy coating.
If Burger King isn't your scene, Impossible "chicken" nuggets are hitting the menu at Red Rooster Overtown. The restaurant will offer the nuggets with a jackfruit barbecue sauce and cauliflower mac and cheese ($15), making it an apt pairing for vegetarians (but not vegans).
Red Rooster's Marcus Samuelsson helped curate the fully plant-based menu at this year’s Met Gala dinner and will host chef Bryant Terry at his Overtown location as part of Seed Food & Wine Festival in November.
Several other South Florida restaurants offer meatless "chicken" nuggets, if you, like New Times, prioritize supporting local businesses.
Chef Sam's "Wyngs" are a crowd favorite at the Rabbit Hole in Pompano Beach.
Photo courtesy of the Rabbit Hole
Miami-based food truck the Caribe Vegan makes a "Chkn" patty from jackfruit and mushrooms. The patty is breaded and deep-fried, then served with a side of rice, beans, tostones, and plant-based Dominican "salami" for $15. Follow the truck at thecaribevegan.com.
In Hallandale Beach, the Krazy Vegan (645 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd.,305-475-7299; thekrazyvegan.com) offers "Krazy" nuggets, served with a choice of sauces. A six-piece meal served with fries costs $10.50, a 12-piece with fries costs $16.50.
For a full list of Burger King locations offering Impossible products, visit the Impossible Foods locator online or download the Burger King app.
