Burger King Portugal follows the example of the United Kingdom and Israel and opens fully vegan restaurants.
A Burger King branch in the Portuguese capital Lisbon has announced that it will be 100% vegan for one month.
The fast-food chain opened the plant-based pop-up at its branch on Rua de Belém on 4 November. Until early December, exclusively vegan food will be served there.
The restaurant has changed its menu, décor and kitchen to enable the transition. It no longer contains any meat products whatsoever.
"We have removed all animal products from our kitchen to ensure food safety," said Jorge Carvalho, General Manager of Burger King in Spain and Portugal. "The cheese and bacon are vegan, the desserts, the mayonnaise and even the materials in the restaurant, such as cups, napkins, packaging and bags, have been carefully selected."
Customers can choose from a range of plant-based versions of the chain's best-selling menu items. These include the Whopper and Chicken Nuggets. The dishes were made with meat alternatives from The Vegetarian Butcher.
Portugal as a pioneer in plant-based nutrition
In 2017, Portugal became the first country to prohibit public institutions such as schools, universities, hospitals and prisons from failing to offer plant-based options. This came after 15,000 people signed a petition calling on the government to do so. In the same year, the number of people identifying as vegetarians rose by 400 percent.
Burger King bets on plant-based food
A few years ago, it would have been unthinkable that Burger King could cater so well to vegans. In recent months, however, the chain has seen rapid growth in its plant-based options. Burger King attributes this to consumer preferences and plans to reduce its ecological footprint.
The all-vegan Burger King in Portugal follows in the footsteps of similar outlets in London, Bristol and Tel Aviv. In January 2022, Burger King UK committed to making 50 percent of its menu meat-free by 2030.
The livestock industry is a major driver of the climate crisis. It causes at least 14.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions. It is also responsible for the loss of biodiversity and deforestation.
| You can help all animals and our planet with compassion. Choose compassion on your plate and in your glass. Go vegan. |
