Burger King NZ launches new plant-based 'Rebel Whopper' burger

Real Whopper burger.
Real Whopper burger. Photo credit: Burger King NZ

Another Kiwi fast food chain has boarded the plant-based burger train, with Burger King announcing on Tuesday the launch of their new Rebel Whopper burger in New Zealand. 

In exciting news for vegetarian burger fans, their tagline is, "100 percent Whopper, 0 percent beef".  

Burger King has always offered their Salad Burger as a vegetarian alternative, but the Rebel Whopper promises to have all the taste of the original Whopper burger. 

But some fans have expressed outrage on Burger King's Facebook post which reveals the patty is in fact not actually vegetarian. 

"The Rebel Whopper is not vegetarian due to the plant-based patty being cooked on the same grill as beef patties," wrote the burger chain.  

People took to the post questioning why have a vegetarian burger at all with such a high risk of cross-contamination.

"Just like McDonald's 'vege' burger that isn't even vegetarian. Why bother going to the effort, then cook it on the meat infested grill?" one follower questioned. 

"Plant-based diets are one of the biggest growing markets you think you would cook it in a way that vegetarians could actually eat it." 

"What's the f**ken point in making a vege burger if vegetarian can't eat it? Slack much," wrote another.

But others are stoked with the new burger.

"They taste amazing!" commented a fan. 

"Plant-based burger at BK! Yipeee!" wrote another.

The taste has already been given the tick of approval from residents in the meat-loving town of Bulls.

Burger King has followed competitor McDonald's, who late last year released plant-based patty burger The McVeggie.