When Burger King launched the Unattainable Whopper in 2019, many welcomed the brand new plant-based fast-food choice. Others had been hesitant, largely as a consequence of considerations about cross-contamination (the Unattainable patty is cooked on a shared floor). Nonetheless, the burger proved standard, and greater than six years later, it stays on the menu.
However maybe some skeptics had some extent. Burger King doesn’t simply prepare dinner the plant-based patty alongside meat, it’s additionally keen to pair it with meat contained in the bun. In 2022, the chain puzzled vegans, vegetarians, and plant-based meat followers when it launched the Unattainable Southwest Bacon Whopper—with actual bacon.
Now, in 2026, it’s carried out it once more.
Burger King
On the finish of February, Burger King will add an Unattainable Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper to the menu alongside the unique meat model. The Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper is a fan creation and winner of Burger King’s Million Greenback Whopper contest. However clients aren’t thrilled that the Unattainable model as soon as once more contains actual bacon as an alternative of a vegan various.
On-line response has been swift. Followers are baffled that, whereas Unattainable Meals has been growing its personal plant-based bacon and quite a few vegan bacon choices exist already in the marketplace, Burger King opted to not swap the pork product.
Under is only a snapshot of the backlash.
Burger King
The web reacts to the brand new Unattainable Whopper with bacon
“Vegan burger with bacon? Y’all noticed what we did to Goal. You’re up,” wrote one commenter on Instagram.
One other added: “Actual bacon in a plant-based burger? Make it make sense.”
“Unattainable Burger with bacon is wild,” wrote one other. “Why not have Unattainable bacon?”
“I assumed I used to be tripping after I learn this,” one particular person stated, whereas one other commented, “I’m glad I checked the feedback, trigger I positive would’ve ordered this considering they made it totally plant-based.”
One person declared, “Please inform me who considered this, after which who authorised it, and fireplace them each! Thanks!”
“Rage bait,” added one other. “And I’m enraged as a result of I acquired so excited till I noticed the true bacon. BK you higher repair this.”
“I promise nobody has ever requested for this, think about being this out of contact,” wrote one commenter.
“It is a enormous missed alternative to introduce Unattainable bacon,” stated one other. “Enormous swing and a miss. @burgerking, please deal with the backlash within the remark part.”
Has Burger King addressed the backlash?
On the time of writing, the Instagram put up saying the Unattainable Maple Bourbon BBQ Whopper seems to have been faraway from Burger King’s important grid, although it stays accessible through direct hyperlink.
Burger King has not publicly addressed the backlash. VegNews has reached out to the fast-food chain for remark.
For extra plant-based tales like this, learn:
Charlotte is a VegNews editor and author primarily based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.
