The Fatburger Impossible Burger recently made its debut at all of the company’s US franchises. The new offering is the result of a partnership between Fatburger and Impossible Foods. If you’re not familiar with the Impossible Burger, it uses a plant-based patty that’s a healthier and far more environmentally-friendly alternative to beef. My friend and I recently tried the Fatburger Impossible Burger and were mostly impressed, save for one major shortcoming. Before I get to that, here are the TLDR bullet points for those of you with short attention spans.
What I like about the Fatburger Impossible Burger
- The taste is a close approximation to beef
- The texture and cohesiveness are superior to that of other veggie patties
- It takes much less energy, water, and land to produce
What I dislike about the Fatburger Impossible Burger
- It’s very dry
- It’s very expensive
- The plant-like aftertaste takes some getting used to
What I like about you
Fatburger Impossible Burger vs. Other Veggie Burgers
Compared to the other “meat alternative” burgers I’ve tried, the Fatburger Impossible Burger is amazing. It tastes closer to beef than any other veggie burger I’ve tried. Unlike many other plant-based patties, it’s fairly cohesive. You won’t have to worry about it crumbling or falling apart after you take a bite. The outside of the patty was crispy, mimicking a beef burger’s seer. If you want to eat less beef due to health and environmental concerns, the Fatburger Impossible Burger is a compelling option.
Fatburger Impossible Burger vs. Beef Burgers
While I was impressed by how close the Fatburger Impossible Burger came to approximating a traditional beef burger, there were some areas where it fell short. Impossible Foods implies that its key ingredient replicates the “smell, sizzle, bleed, and taste” of beef. In my experience, only three of those claims could be considered true (ish). The Fatburger Impossible Burger I had was prepared well done and was extremely dry. It didn’t have the juiciness of a good hamburger and it certainly didn’t bleed (and it required multiple trips to the soda fountain).
My friend and I were mostly impressed by the taste, but that’s completely subjective. We all have different tastebuds and preferences. For my part, I detected a plant-y aftertaste. My friend said that her Fatburger Impossible Burger was slightly nutty. We both agreed that it comes close to mimicking the taste of beef, but there was an element that makes it abundantly clear that it’s not beef. Both of us were mostly satisfied by the flavor, but that dryness….
Plant-Based Sticker Shock
The biggest issue with the Fatburger Impossible Burger is its price. At the Sunset Station Fatburger, it costs $14.99. For comparison, a beef burger starts at $6.45, a turkey burger starts at $6.95, and a Boca veggie burger starts at $6.95. I’m sure that many people would like to eat less beef in order to improve their health and do less harm to the environment. I’m also sure that many people would scoff at paying more than double the price of a beef burger in order to do so.
Yes, the Fatburger Impossible Burger uses a relatively new product that costs millions of dollars in research and development. When eating at a fast food chain, most people aren’t concerned with such things. They simply won’t want to pay a 100-percent premium for an alternative, no matter how well it approximates beef.
Having said all that, I’m hoping that the product does well. I’d love to see Impossible Foods in more restaurants. Hopefully success at Fatburger will lead to proliferation and lower prices. For now, I imagine the price is too steep for most people to stomach.
Your Impossible Thoughts
If you’ve tried a Fatburger Impossible Burger, I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. I’d be especially interested to see if yours was juicy. It’s entirely possible that my chef was inept and overcooked my hamburger.
If you haven’t tried one, I want to hear what you think of it. Are you interested? Will the price keep you away? Share your feelings (Care Bears ™) in the comments section (please!).