Chic Fil A new cauliflower sandwich

[Indigo Blue]

It is my understanding these are in a few test markets. They look exactly like Chic Fil A chicken sandwich. 
 

I would order one on a gluten free bun and try one, but the breading is not gf. And….it’s deep fried. And….I can’t eat cauliflower. 
 

🐓🐓🐓🐓 Eat Mor Cauliflower 

Edited March 11, 2023 by Indigo Blue
Typo

[Scarlett]

3 minutes ago, Indigo Blue said:

It is my understanding these are in a few test markets. They look exact like Chic Fil A chicken sandwich. 
 

I would order one on a gluten free bun and try one, but the breading is not gf. And….it’s deep fried. And….I can’t eat cauliflower. 
 

🐓🐓🐓🐓 Eat Mor Cauliflower 

I would try that.  
 

[Katy]

I looked, but we're not in a test market. I'd definitely try it too.

[itsheresomewhere]

I can’t eat cauliflower anymore so I will just support those who do.  I hope it is tasty for those who want it. 

[Not_a_Number]

I like cauliflower! Sounds intriguing. 

Shake Shack has a mushroom burger I rather like. 

[MercyA]

I love it when any restaurant offers vegan or vegetarian options, but last time I checked, just about everything at Chic Fil A is chock full of MSG and I'll bet this sandwich is no exception. It sounds good to me, though! 

Looked up the ingredients and this sandwich is prepared with milk and eggs. Just in case anyone is wondering.

[Ailaena]

9 minutes ago, MercyA said:

I love it when any restaurant offers vegan or vegetarian options, but last time I checked, just about everything at Chic Fil A is chock full of MSG and I'll bet this sandwich is no exception. It sounds good to me, though! 

Looked up the ingredients and this sandwich is prepared with milk and eggs. Just in case anyone is wondering.

It was my understanding that they also fry it in the same oil as the chicken, so it’s not considered vegetarian, but they don’t claim it is, so 🤷🏻‍♀️

[MercyA]

8 hours ago, Ailaena said:

It was my understanding that they also fry it in the same oil as the chicken, so it’s not considered vegetarian, but they don’t claim it is, so 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yeah, it's weird to me. Why make a cauliflower sandwich to sell at a chicken restaurant and not make it even vegetarian? I'd venture to say that the majority of people who would want to buy it are the people who are going to care if it's actually vegetarian. 

[Scarlett]

30 minutes ago, MercyA said:

Yeah, it's weird to me. Why make a cauliflower sandwich to sell at a chicken restaurant and not make it even vegetarian? I'd venture to say that the majority of people who would want to buy it are the people who are going to care if it's actually vegetarian. 

Agree.  I am not vegetarian …I love their chicken but I find it weird the cauliflower is not vegetarian.

[stephanier.1765]

11 hours ago, MercyA said:

I love it when any restaurant offers vegan or vegetarian options, but last time I checked, just about everything at Chic Fil A is chock full of MSG and I'll bet this sandwich is no exception. It sounds good to me, though! 

Looked up the ingredients and this sandwich is prepared with milk and eggs. Just in case anyone is wondering.

Well darn, just when I was getting excited!

[MercyA]

8 minutes ago, stephanier.1765 said:

Well darn, just when I was getting excited!

Right?!? I was excited, too, even though we haven't been to Chick Fil A in probably over 20 years.

[MagistraKennedy]

1 hour ago, MercyA said:

Right?!? I was excited, too, even though we haven't been to Chick Fil A in probably over 20 years.

I was excited about the prospect of some sort of GF breaded Spicy Chicken --- sigh. 

 

[ScoutTN]

Fast food restaurants are not a good bet for vegetarian fare, ime. If I go to CfA, I want their not-healthy chx, not an unsuccessful imitation of healthy food. 
 

Eta: I love cauliflower, just not as an imitation of chx. Bring on the evoo and garlic!

Edited March 11, 2023 by ScoutTN

[Selkie]

I think their target audience is customers who are taking baby steps to improve their health by including more plants in their diet.
 

I’ve also seen speculation that, with bird flu looming, fast food chains are looking into potential replacements for chicken. Not sure about the validity of that, but thought it was interesting.

[Ann.without.an.e]

17 hours ago, Indigo Blue said:

It is my understanding these are in a few test markets. They look exactly like Chic Fil A chicken sandwich. 
 

I would order one on a gluten free bun and try one, but the breading is not gf. And….it’s deep fried. And….I can’t eat cauliflower. 
 

🐓🐓🐓🐓 Eat Mor Cauliflower 

 

All I think when I hear about it is that Burton's Grill has a General Tso's cauliflower that is out of the world. It is an appetizer and they will make it GF and DF for you. It is just the perfect flavor profile...the sauce and the sriracha aioli on the side. The last time I went I ordered it and a side of rice to go with it for my meal lol. 

[Ann.without.an.e]

 

 

Here @Indigo Blue

 

This is your sign to go to Burton’s 😂

 

[marbel]

I'd happily try the cauliflower sandwich! I am not vegetarian, but I am reducing my meat consumption more and more as time goes on. I don't think of it as a meat substitute, per se, but just a variation, another kind of sandwich.

I do think it's odd though that it's not actually vegetarian. Maybe if the sandwich is well-received they will start cooking it so it can be. 

[purpleowl]

I have a friend who tried it and said it was good and surprisingly filling. Her teen daughter also liked it. 

[Indigo Blue]

49 minutes ago, Ann.without.an.e said:

 

 

Here @Indigo Blue

 

This is your sign to go to Burton’s 😂

 

Oh my gosh, Ann!!! Thanks!!! That looks good. Is this place over by Southern Olive?

 

ETA It’s probably got spices that would bother me, and cauliflower isn’t too friendly on my stomach, but this may be a nice treat and tolerable in small portions. 

Edited March 11, 2023 by Indigo Blue

[katilac]

7 hours ago, MercyA said:

Yeah, it's weird to me. Why make a cauliflower sandwich to sell at a chicken restaurant and not make it even vegetarian? I'd venture to say that the majority of people who would want to buy it are the people who are going to care if it's actually vegetarian. 

It's not meant to be a vegetarian option. They call it a "plant-forward" option, and it's meant for people who want to decrease meat consumption or increase vegetable consumption, and of course also for people who just like cauliflower and having more options. Like the Mediterranean fast casual restaurant near me sells falafel, but I'd bet a whole head of cauliflower that it doesn't meat your definition of vegetarian. Same for lots of non-meat options that are already popular in restaurants: fried eggplant isn't usually going to be cooked in a dedicated fryer, the Impossible Whopper at Burger King doesn't have a dedicated grill, 

I know many vegetarians who eat things like this with no issues, because buying it is still reducing demand for meat products and increasing demand for plant products. 

And I don't at all think the market is limited to vegetarians. I'm not at all a vegetarian, but I would immediately try this if it came to my market, and I'm very open to trying many non-meat options. Of course, a lot of restaurant options just so happen to be vegetarian anyway, if you don't care about cross-contamination. Numerous soups, salads, and pastas, falafel, hummus, eggplant, cheese pizza, bean burritos - nobody wonders why these things are sold even though they're not made in dedicated fryers or on dedicated grills or surfaces 

Edited March 11, 2023 by katilac

[Arcadia]

16 hours ago, Ailaena said:

It was my understanding that they also fry it in the same oil as the chicken, so it’s not considered vegetarian, but they don’t claim it is, so 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

53 minutes ago, marbel said:

I do think it's odd though that it's not actually vegetarian. Maybe if the sandwich is well-received they will start cooking it so it can be. 

McDonald’s used to fry their french fries in beef tallow. Vegetarians (especially those who opt to be vegetarian by religion) were very angry. McDonald’s switch to vegetable oil after that.

[Ann.without.an.e]

40 minutes ago, Indigo Blue said:

Oh my gosh, Ann!!! Thanks!!! That looks good. Is this place over by Southern Olive?

 

ETA It’s probably got spices that would bother me, and cauliflower isn’t too friendly on my stomach, but this may be a nice treat and tolerable in small portions. 

No it is over on Woodlawn, closer to south park. Park road shopping center, I think? Near Blackhawk hardware 😊

[katilac]

33 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

 

McDonald’s used to fry their french fries in beef tallow. Vegetarians (especially those who opt to be vegetarian by religion) were very angry. McDonald’s switch to vegetable oil after that.

That change was actually about the fat and cholesterol. There was a huge public health push for awareness of these in the 80s, with the change coming in 1990. Of course, it was eventually discovered that the change might have been less healthy, lol, and more changes were made. 

The vegetarian thing occurred when McDonald's wound up having suppliers add beef flavoring, bc the public hated the new fries. Although they never said their french fries were vegetarian, people thought that potatoes fried in vegetable oil implied it.  A few lawsuits were filed, and settled by McD's making donations to various Hindu and other groups. 

McDonald's french fries still contain beef flavoring. Burger King and most others do not. I will say that if anyone is really dedicated to the idea of not even one drop of beef or beef flavoring passing their lips, for whatever reason, fast food is not the way to go. They may have dedicated fryers for different items, but those fryers are generally right next to each other, and also very close to the hamburger grill. Bits of beef-infused oil are most definitely in all of the fryers. Honestly, beef-infused oil is in the air, there is no escaping it, lol. 

[katilac]

8 hours ago, MercyA said:

Yeah, it's weird to me. Why make a cauliflower sandwich to sell at a chicken restaurant and not make it even vegetarian? I'd venture to say that the majority of people who would want to buy it are the people who are going to care if it's actually vegetarian. 

For another example, the Impossible Burgers at Burger King share a grill with the regular meat burgers. It's almost impossible to do otherwise, as there is usually only one grill, and it's a flame grill that can't just be wiped down. 

A lot of vegetarians and vegans that buy these products are fine with that, as buying them shows demand for plant-based products, and does not increase animal suffering. 

I think the factor of zero cross-contamination is more important to people who eat that way for religious reasons, but I also think zero cross-contamination in a fast food joint is impossible. 

[Lady Marmalade]

I've heard it's delicious if you like deep fried cauliflower.   It's such a small test market that has it, it will be interesting to see if it expands at all.  Some items seem to take years to go from test to rollout, but I've thought about taking cauliflower to work and trying it out one day just to see.  

Plant-forward is a little strange, but there's no way to retrofit the kitchens to have a whole area devoted to just cauliflower and keeping it seperate and actually vegetarian.  I dunno, I'm super curious about it though. 

[MercyA]

2 hours ago, katilac said:

I know many vegetarians who eat things like this with no issues, because buying it is still reducing demand for meat products and increasing demand for plant products. 

40 minutes ago, katilac said:

A lot of vegetarians and vegans that buy these products are fine with that, as buying them shows demand for plant-based products, and does not increase animal suffering. 

Yes. I just think they missed an opportunity here. There are plenty of vegetarians and vegans who would love to be able to get something other than an undressed salad when they go out with their friends or family for fast food. I can see that shared fryers and grills might be a necessity in a restaurant that is literally named after chicken, but if they're going to create a new plant-based entree, why not make the ingredients vegan? 🤷‍♀️

When 95% of a restaurant's menu is off-limits, of course people are going to get excited about at a potential new meal and disappointed when it's not what they hoped, especially in areas of the country where there are few other options or few other inexpensive options.

Edited March 11, 2023 by MercyA

[teachermom2834]

I like cauliflower but if I am going to eat something deep fried and breaded on a bun, just give me the chicken sandwich. 
 

I ate fried cauliflower when I was keto but this isn’t keto. If they had some actual keto nuggets or something that would be different. But at this point just give me the chicken! 
 

 

 

Edited March 11, 2023 by teachermom2834

[Selkie]

53 minutes ago, katilac said:

That change was actually about the fat and cholesterol. There was a huge public health push for awareness of these in the 80s, with the change coming in 1990. Of course, it was eventually discovered that the change might have been less healthy, lol, and more changes were made. 

The vegetarian thing occurred when McDonald's wound up having suppliers add beef flavoring, bc the public hated the new fries. Although they never said their french fries were vegetarian, people thought that potatoes fried in vegetable oil implied it.  A few lawsuits were filed, and settled by McD's making donations to various Hindu and other groups. 

McDonald's french fries still contain beef flavoring. Burger King and most others do not. I will say that if anyone is really dedicated to the idea of not even one drop of beef or beef flavoring passing their lips, for whatever reason, fast food is not the way to go. They may have dedicated fryers for different items, but those fryers are generally right next to each other, and also very close to the hamburger grill. Bits of beef-infused oil are most definitely in all of the fryers. Honestly, beef-infused oil is in the air, there is no escaping it, lol. 

What is interesting is that the big US-based fast food companies have loads of vegan and vegetarian menu items at their European locations. For example, Burger King has opened all-vegan restaurants in a number of countries, and has pledged that half of their menu in the UK will be plant-based by 2030. Europe is just light years ahead of the US when it comes to awareness of the negative health and environmental impacts of meat and fast food.

[Indigo Blue]

41 minutes ago, Selkie said:

What is interesting is that the big US-based fast food companies have loads of vegan and vegetarian menu items at their European locations. For example, Burger King has opened all-vegan restaurants in a number of countries, and has pledged that half of their menu in the UK will be plant-based by 2030. Europe is just light years ahead of the US when it comes to awareness of the negative health and environmental impacts of meat and fast food.

I had no idea. 

[Scarlett]

On 3/11/2023 at 1:41 PM, Ann.without.an.e said:

 

 

Here @Indigo Blue

 

This is your sign to go to Burton’s 😂

 

This looks delicious !

[katilac]

On 3/11/2023 at 4:59 PM, Selkie said:

 Europe is just light years ahead of the US when it comes to awareness of the negative health and environmental impacts of meat and fast food.

I'm pretty sure the US is the only market where MdD's still has the beef flavoring in the fries.

Although, not gonna lie, I would absolutely buy some beef tallow french fries at this very moment if it were an option. 

[MercyA]

On 3/11/2023 at 5:59 PM, Selkie said:

Europe is just light years ahead of the US when it comes to awareness of the negative health and environmental impacts of meat and fast food.

And food dyes! In the EU, most foods with artificial food dyes actually have a label that says "May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children." 

Go Europe. 🙂 

[vonfirmath]

On 3/11/2023 at 7:30 AM, MercyA said:

Yeah, it's weird to me. Why make a cauliflower sandwich to sell at a chicken restaurant and not make it even vegetarian? I'd venture to say that the majority of people who would want to buy it are the people who are going to care if it's actually vegetarian. 

I am not vegetarian but I'd buy a cauliflower sandwich. Sometimes I just don't want more meat.

 

[busymama7]

57 minutes ago, katilac said:

I'm pretty sure the US is the only market where MdD's still has the beef flavoring in the fries.

Although, not gonna lie, I would absolutely buy some beef tallow french fries at this very moment if it were an option. 

We did not improve health by frying in vegetable oils.  I would also prefer a stable fat like beef tallow.  

[Indigo Blue]

On 3/11/2023 at 2:41 PM, Ann.without.an.e said:

 

 

Here @Indigo Blue

 

This is your sign to go to Burton’s 😂

 

Just saw that there is another Burton’s off Rea Rd. at Blakeney! Their menu also has a superfood bowl with quinoa, grape tomatoes, spinach, and julienne veggies. I really need to investigate this. This location is a lot closer! 
 

 

[Arcadia]

4 hours ago, katilac said:

I'm pretty sure the US is the only market where MdD's still has the beef flavoring in the fries.

Although, not gonna lie, I would absolutely buy some beef tallow french fries at this very moment if it were an option. 

 

3 hours ago, busymama7 said:

We did not improve health by frying in vegetable oils.  I would also prefer a stable fat like beef tallow.  

I don’t have an issue with McDonald’s or any fast food using beef tallow for fries. Just put a notice so people are aware. Hindus and Buddhist don’t eat beef. I had ice cream or apple pie at McDonald’s and coleslaw at KFC because schoolmates have group projects meetings there. Where I am from, McDonald’s and KFC are halal so they make good meeting places when it’s not crowded on weekend mornings. 

[Stacia]

I am glad you all posted about this because I happen to be in one of the test markets so ran by to get this for dinner.

It was good! No, it's not technically vegetarian but I would eat this when there if I wanted something warm (vs. always getting a salad).

I hope they roll it out for all their markets.

Edited March 14, 2023 by Stacia