Burger King is launching its first meatless restaurant complete with a new plant-based Chicken Royale

Burger King was the unashamed meathead of the fast food industry for years.

Signature dishes like the Whopper and Bacon Double Cheeseburger don’t just happen by accident, and you don’t make your whole MO around flame-grilling beef if you aren’t serious. Say what you like about the food, but Burger King has always taken its meat super seriously.

This makes the business’ latest move all the more surprising.

Burger King is launching a brand new plant-based pop-up (Credit: Alamy/Alexey Panferov)

Burger King goes vegan

Like all the major players in the fast food space, Burger King is exploring plant-based options for its menu.

Already this year, the restaurant has dabbled with a Vegan Royale and Vegan Whopper. Now, however, it’s taking things a step further.

For the first time ever, the brand will be opening its first-ever meatless location in Cologne, Germany.

The limited-time-only pop-up, which will offer only plant-based menu options, will be open from the 7th of June through to the 11th of July.

READ MORE: Is the Rebel Whopper vegan? 8 surprising facts about Burger King’s Whopper

All of the meaty ingredients will be provided by European brand The Vegetarian Butcher. The launch will also coincide with the release of the new Vegan Royale sandwich in the German market.

The pop-up will also provide plant-based Burger King fans with the opportunity to ask questions of the brand’s German leadership team. An event, featuring Managing Director Cornelius Everke, Marketing Director Klaus Schmäing, and Senior Product Development & Innovation Manager Tim Lenke will be held at the restaurant to encourage conversation.

While many in the vegan community might say that this has been a long time coming, there’s no doubt that Burger King is making moves.

Burger King’s new Vegan Royale is already available in the UK (Credit: Burger King Germany)

New ‘Chicken’ Royale

The new German restaurant isn’t the only exciting development for plant-based Burger King customers.

According to VegNews, the opening coincides with the release of an all-new take on the classic Chicken Royale sandwich. Released in the UK earlier this year, the sandwich has the stamp of approval from the Vegan Society.

READ MORE: Why did Slipknot sue Burger King? 5 of the weirdest fast food lawsuits of all time

While it might be easy to dismiss these moves as flashes in the pan, early indications are that Burger King is committed to a green future.

Burger King UK CEO Alasdair Murdoch has already revealed plans for the chain’s UK menu to become 50 percent plant-based by 2031.

The industry still clearly needs to change to become more veg-friendly. However, given these commitments, it’s clearly an exciting time to be a vegan burger fan.