The Earls Restaurant Group is the latest chain to add the vegan Impossible Burger to its menu. The burger is now available in all U.S. locations. The chain also announced the launch of a vegan menu section, rolling out in select Canadian and U.S. locations starting this summer. The chain has 66 locations in North America.
This is the first major move toward vegan offerings for the casual dining chain. The Impossible Burger launched at U.S. locations late last month and the Earls Test Kitchen in Vancouver trialed several vegan items before they launched at Earls Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver in May. Now, the new vegan menu is rolling out to locations in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Burnaby, Boston, Texas, and Washington.
Earlier this month, Bay Area startup Impossible Foods announced the placement of its vegan Impossible Burger in several dozen of the casual dining chain Applebee’s locations throughout New York. Select White Castle fast food locations also launched Impossible Burger sliders in New York, New Jersey, and Chicago. The vegan burger that looks, cooks, and tastes like beef has also launched in select Cheesecake Factory locations. Impossible Foods also entered an exclusive two-year arrangement with Umami Burger as the only plant-based burger served in all Umami Burger locations. Just this week, Live Nation, the world’s largest concert promoter, said it was adding the vegan burger to 37 amphitheaters and concert venues.
“Earls menus are designed the way our guests want to eat,” Earls vice president brand and marketing Kristin Vekteris said in a statement. “We’re listening to our guests and staff. We’re hearing more and more that they are either meat eaters who are seeking out plant-based options, or looking to enjoy completely vegan dishes as part of their restaurant experience.”
The menu, which features seven new dishes, was spearheaded by executive chef Phil Gallagher.
“It’s important for us to offer a variety of options that are healthy and indulgent and vegan food is no different,” he said. “Like any dish, flavour profiles must be addictive, fresh and delicious and we’re proud to have created taste, technique and texture combinations that we think all our guests will love.”
The new Earls vegan menu includes Avocado Toast, a Crispy Tofu Zen Bowl, Green Dragon Roll, Spicy Tofu Tacos, Vegan Field Greens Salad, Vegan Hunan Kung Pao, Vegan Quinoa and Avocado Powerbowl, Vegan Korean Bibimbap, and a Smoothie Bowl on the brunch menu.
Earls says it will be expanding its vegan offerings even further in October.
Image Credit: Earl’s Kitchen/Instagram
