Shake Shack is testing a new vegetarian burger at six locations in Los Angeles, New York and Austin, Texas.
The Veggie Shack patty is made with black beans, brown rice and roasted beets, and it’s topped with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and a vegan mustard-mayonnaise blend. The burger is priced at $7.29, the same as the chain’s other premium burgers.
The burger can be made vegan by removing the cheese and using a gluten-free bun or lettuce wrap. The Martin’s Potato Roll that is typically used for the chain’s sandwiches contains trace amounts of dairy.
Mark Rosati, culinary director of New York City-based Shake Shack, said the veggie burger was in development for about six months and joins the more indulgent ’Shroom Burger, a fried portobello mushroom filled with melted Muenster and cheddar cheeses, and topped with lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce, priced at $7.29. That burger is also part of the Shack Stack, which includes a cheeseburger, for $10.49.
“While we love the umami richness of the ’Shroom Burger, it does represent an indulgent side of the vegetarian spectrum,” Rosati said in an email via a spokesperson. “We wanted to create something on the lighter side that was equally as fun and enjoyable.”
The Veggie Shack was introduced at the six locations — Midtown East, Upper East Side and Astor Place in New York City; West Hollywood and Glendale in the Los Angeles area and at The Domain in Austin, Texas — on April 19 as an app exclusive, and then was made available to all customers on April 24. No end date has been set for the test.
“We’ve been hearing a lot from our guests about their desire for a lighter veggie option, so we’re excited to see what they think,” Rosati said.
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