More veggie burgers, more problems?

A decline in Shake Shack’s shroom burger experience could be the tip of the iceberg. [View on web]( [A breaded mushroom patty between two buns topped with lettuce and tomato in a to-go box]( Veggie burgers shouldn't just be a consolation prize for those who don't want beef. | Jaya Saxena/Eater Airports are the perfect environments for fast food. The other dining options always seem to be some $20 panini at a restaurant trying desperately to create an atmosphere in Terminal B, or prepackaged options at Hudson News. But a Wendy’s burger or a Dunkin’ sandwich is always a reliable hit. On a recent trip to New Orleans, I treated myself to [Shake Shack]( before my flight, opting for their famous ’Shroom Burger. But upon first bite, I found it to be a salty, chewy mess. What the hell happened? If you don’t remember, when Shake Shack opened its first brick-and-mortar location in 2004, the ’Shroom Burger was a revelation. Yes, the beef burgers were fantastic, but this was a vegetarian option with oomph. On the surface, the burger’s formula has stayed the same: It consists of a portobello mushroom cap and a combination of Muenster and cheddar cheeses, breaded and deep-fried into an explosive ball of umami and ooze. In a world that equated veggie burgers with diet food, this was decidedly decadent. And plenty of meat eaters regularly opted for the experience (or got the Shack Stack, which combined the ’Shroom Burger and a regular beef patty). In my modern-day airport version, however, the mushroom was tough. The cheese was congealed, and the breading was thick. Was it saltier than I remembered, too? In any case, it was just bad. But it got me thinking about the state of the fast food burger, both meat-based and not. On one hand, beef burgers aren’t going anywhere. Though McDonald’s says its chicken sandwiches are now just as popular as its beef ones, the Quarter Pounder with fries combo makes up [65 percent of its sales](. [Shake Shack is expanding](, and it seems like every cool new restaurant is some [nostalgic]( [luncheonette redux](. In LA earlier this year, burger spot [Burgerlords added beef]( back to the menu after trying to go fully vegan in 2020. “It’s no longer sustainable for us to operate as a 100 percent vegan restaurant,” founder Fred Guerrero told Eater LA. On the other hand, there is an ever-growing appetite for vegetarian options. Shake Shack recently introduced a [new veggie patty]( in addition to its ’Shroom Burger; Slutty Vegan [continues to expand](; and most fast food chains now include an Impossible or Beyond Burger option (although, due to being cooked on the same griddle as beef, they may [not actually count as vegetarian](). And while the company hasn’t announced details, at the [new McDonald’s chain CosMc](, it looks like there are multiple vegetarian breakfast sandwich options. I keep coming back to the ’Shroom Burger though. When I posted about it on my Instagram stories, some friends said they never liked it, while others said it had absolutely declined in quality. Either way, one thing has become clear: What was once a wild innovation on [what a “veggie burger” could even be]( now feels like another sad consolation prize for customers who don’t want to eat beef. Perhaps [the future is brighter for veggie burgers]( than it is right now. Or perhaps I should have just gotten the $20 panini. More reading - If you’re craving melted cheese after all this, consider throwing a [raclette party](. - Maybe fast food is just getting worse in general — [Bon Appétit explores]( why many people believe Chipotle’s heyday has passed. - [Caviar is showing up]( on more menus, as restaurants attempt to be everything to everyone. - Bring any of these [70s-style desserts]( to my house anytime, courtesy of the New York Times. If you like this email, please forward it to a friend. If you aren't signed up for this newsletter, you can [do so right here](. — Jaya Saxena, correspondent  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( or [unsubscribe](param=today). View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 11, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2023. All rights reserved.