Carl's Jr. and Hardee's are expanding their plant-based menus with new Beyond Meat items. Beyond Meat alternatives will be added to Carl's Jr.'s breakfast menu and Hardee's will launch a new plant-based menu with breakfast, lunch and dinner options. But are they vegan?
New Carl's Jr. Beyond Meat Items
Carl's Jr. is adding to its breakfast options the Beyond Sausage Burrito and the Beyond Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuit. Currently, other plant-based options are Carl's Jr. are the Beyond Famous Star and Beyond BBQ Cheeseburger.
- Beyond Sausage Burrito: A plant-based Beyond Breakfast Sausage patty, scrambled egg, shredded cheese, hash rounds, tomatoes, and fresh salsa served in a soft, warm tortilla. Price may vary depending on location but will start at $4.79.
- Beyond Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuit: A plant-based Beyond Breakfast Sausage patty topped with a slice of American cheese and a fluffy folded egg served on a freshly baked Made from Scratch Biscuit. Pricing starts at $3.99.
New Hardee's Beyond Meat Items
Hardee's will also launch a new Beyond Meat menu. The Beyond Sausage Burrito and the Original Beyond Thickburger were tested in Raleigh, North Carolina, and St. Louis, Missouri, in October, and will now be permanently added to Hardee's menus nationwide.
- Beyond Sausage Burrito: A plant-based Beyond Sausage patty, fluffy folded eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, and hash rounds served in a soft, warm tortilla. Pricing starts at $3.99.
- Beyond Sausage Biscuit: A plant-based Beyond Breakfast Sausage patty served on a freshly baked Made from Scratch Biscuit. Pricing starts at $3.00.
- Beyond Sausage & Egg Biscuit: A plant-based Beyond Breakfast Sausage patty and a fluffy folded egg served on a freshly baked Made from Scratch Biscuit. Pricing starts at $3.49.
- Original Beyond Thickburger: A plant-based Beyond Burger patty with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, dill pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayo on a toasted premium bun. Pricing starts at $5.99.
Hardee's Beyond Meat Thickburger
Are Carl's Jr. and Hardee's Beyond Meat Items Suitable for vegans?
In recent months, fast-food chains including Burger King, Dunkin', and Denny's, have brought out plant-based alternatives to target health-conscious customers, rather than vegans. The plant-based burgers feature a vegan-friendly patty by either Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods, but toppings like egg and cheese, and cooking methods can make the food unsuitable for vegans.
According to a press release from CKE, the company behind the Carl's Jr. and Hardee's brands, its new plant-based options are intended for customers looking for healthier options. For example, the company claims that the Beyond Breakfast Sausage patty, which will be available at both Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, has more protein and iron, less total and saturated fats, compared to the meat-based sausage patty, and has no cholesterol.
As many of these new products are topped with cheese and egg, they are not suitable for vegans. And while vegan and vegetarian customers can order plant-based alternatives without the toppings, some restaurants cannot guarantee that these items are cooked in a meat-free environment.
The Carl's Jr. website states, "All of our products are prepared in the same kitchen area," and Carl's Jr. confirmed that this was also true for the Beyond Famous Star and Beyond BBQ Cheeseburger. When asked if the new plant-based items can be prepared separately, a spokesperson for Carl's Jr. and Hardee's said: "None of the products at either Carl's Jr. or Hardee's are vegan. The chains' Beyond Meat items are prepared on a shared surface as their other menu offerings."
The new Carl's Jr. Beyond Meat options will be available from December 18, and the plant-based items at Hardee's will be available from December 30, 2019.
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