Approaching the Lory Student Center food court for fuel between classes can be a complex endeavor for a vegetarian. Sure, you could eat a salad for every meal, but some days eating like a rabbit just does not hit the spot.
But thankfully, due to the increasing trendiness of a plant-based diet, restaurants are starting to provide people with more diverse options. Carl’s Jr. has joined this trend with the addition of the Beyond Burger to their menu earlier this month, which students can find at the Lory Student Center location.
The Beyond Burger is a plant-based burger designed to look, taste and cook like beef. The burger is free of soy, gluten or genetically modified organisms and includes 20 grams of protein.
All hype aside, Colorado State University vegetarians must now decide if the taste and convenience of this burger are worth the purchase. After trying the burger myself, I’ve determined that justifying this meal is up to what is inside your wallet and whether or not you have time to nap afterward.
The Beyond Meat Burger is offered at the Carl’s Jr. Lory Student Location.
In order to truly enjoy my order, I had to come to terms with the fact that I paid a whole $9 for a fast-food item. Once I found my inner peace, I was able to take my first bite, which turned out to be pretty decadent. As someone who has been a vegetarian my whole life, meat substitutes that try to imitate meat have been way better than when restaurants just replace a burger patty with a mushroom.
The Beyond Burger is exactly how I imagine meat would be: it’s tender, savory and covered in all the good fixings on a sesame seed bun that will make you feel like you are finally taking part in the true American tradition of clogging your arteries. The grease factor of this meal is something vegetarians should ease themselves into. Though most vegetarians probably eat more fries than the average heavyweight wrestler, people should not take this meal lightly. I can eat four to five Taco Bell burritos in one sitting, and the Beyond Burger knocked me out halfway through. I would recommend ordering this burger on a day when your stomach is feeling strong and equipped. Not taking these steps into consideration, I learned, can be paralyzing.
I must extend gratitude to the Carl’s Jr. team for expanding their menu to offer a fast-food option for vegetarians outside the regular variety of lettuce. The steep pricing, however reasonable, leads me to view this meal as an exceptionally occasional option. Although, if what you are really going for is a solid food coma, feel free to knock yourself out with a Beyond Burger.
Miranda Moses can be found at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @mirandasrad.
