Shake Shack Launches First-Ever Vegan Burger For Limited Time In U.K.

Shake Shack, the New York City-based cult favourite burger chain, has just launched its first-ever 100% vegan-friendly burger. Of course, there’s a catch – it’ll only be available for a limited time in selected branches in London. 

After years of only offering a cheese-laden vegetarian mushroom burger for meatless folk, Shake Shack is finally debuting a burger suitable for vegans. The new burger option is called the Vegan ShackBurger, which is meant to be a twist on the chain’s classic, made with a patty packed with vegetables, grains, herbs, kale, quinoa and sweet potatoes, and topped with lettuce, tomato, vegan ShackSauce and vegan cheese.

While herbivores will rejoice at this news, for now, this option will only be available for a limited time in certain outlets in the U.K. These branches include Canary Wharf, Mansion House, Brent Cross and Stratford in London. The burger is also not suitable for those allergic to gluten, soy, mustard and celery.

Amid the rising plant-based trend, more mainstream burger chains are keeping up by dishing out new vegan and vegetarian offerings. MOS Burger, Japan’s famous fast food chain, recently debuted its first-ever 100% vegan green burger, featuring a housemade patty made of soy protein, konnyaku and cabbage and a light green coloured spinach bun.

Soon after, a beloved neighbourhood burger joint in Tokyo, prompted by the coronavirus and the link between animal agriculture and zoonotic diseases, went 100% vegan. Called Great Lakes Tokyo, the restaurant now ditches all animal meat and byproducts, and instead serves up an entire menu full of vegan-friendly burgers, which are often sold-out, an indication of the growing meatless appetite among the public.

Over in Hong Kong, though the burger is only vegetarian-friendly, KFC recently made its first leap into the plant-based scene by offering a new burger made with a Gardein patty, while White Castle in mainland China is now offering Omnipork sliders, also suitable for vegetarians.

Lead image courtesy of Shake Shack UK.