Food

A veggie burger that goes against the grain

Hard Rock plays to sometimes-veggie eaters with cauliflower.
burger veggie

Hard Rock Cafe built its first U.S. Vegetarian Awareness Month menu of eight new items—including a cauliflower burger—this October because “interest in meatless options has grown over time,” says Darryl Mickler, senior director of R&D. Besides getting meat-eating diners on board, Hard Rock set out to appeal to Gen Z and millennial customers with an Instagrammable dish. So the cruciferous patty features toppings beyond the basic lettuce, many of which the chain already had in-house. Mickler says the burger has taken orders away from the Veggie Leggie, the chain’s core veggie burger that features a premade patty with a mushroom, soy and rice base. The team is considering adding the cauliflower variation to the permanent menu in the future.

Cauliflower burger

Breaking away from the more commonplace grain- and black bean-based veggie burger, the LTO’s fried housemade patty combines ground cauliflower, egg, garlic, oregano, goat cheese and bread crumbs. Zucchini and yellow squash strips on top—also on the core veggie burger—lend color, as do the tomato and leafy arugula toppings. And a housemade aioli, served with the chain’s flatbread and fries, adds an upscale twist to ketchup. 

Smart swaps

Instead of...Try this...
Beef pattyHousemade cauliflower patty
Cheddar cheeseMonterey Jack Cheese
LettuceArugula
"Special sauce"Garlic aioli

 

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Food

Taco John's travels back to its 'West-Mex' roots to spice up the menu

Behind the Menu: Starting with its new Fiesta sauce and maximizing what’s already stocked in the pantry, the Mexican fast-food chain is driving flavor throughout its platform.

Financing

'The world needs Starbucks:' How Brian Niccol plans to revive the coffee chain

The Starbucks CEO detailed his “Back to Starbucks” plan to 14,000 cheering leaders of the coffee shop giant in Las Vegas this month. And he said the effort is important far beyond the company.

Financing

In the fast-food world, growth is coming from drinks and desserts

The Bottom Line: The highest-growth quick-service chains cannot be found in traditional sectors but among coffee, beverage and dessert brands. What does this say about the restaurant industry?

Trending

More from our partners