‘Who wants Fake Meat when there are so many delicious vegetable dishes’?
never really understood this point. if this were really a question, the answer would be, LOTS of people. globally the market for plant based meat is in the 10’s of billions of dollars. in the US market alone, about 80 million households purchased these products in the last year there was data. plant based dairy holds about 15% of total market share in that space (US).
to this point ‘No need for a Tofu Hot Dog. Just eat tofu as tofu’
there may not be the need for it but there is a clear desire. tofu bears no resemblance to a sausage in taste, texture, or form. the existence of delicious vegetable dishes does not negate the desirability of hot dogs, hamburgers, bacon or whatever for many people. they are their own thing. one does not replace the other. given the option of a delicious piece of bacon (if such a thing exists), for instance, that doesn’t violate one’s personal ethics, many consumers would choose the delicious piece of plant based bacon if that’s the food they crave.
While I like In N Out, I find their beef tasteless, the burgers while fresh are only tasty with grilled onions, mustard and ketchup (no sauce or cheese for me, but again that’s a me issue)
My wife would gladly forego the burger patty on ANY hamburger. It’s her least favorite part of the experience. When I make burgers at home they’re made of lamb.
Okay, so I decided to give Shake Shack another shot, and while this time the burger was (thankfully) NOT a total salt bomb, I just don’t think very much of their food or quality of service. This time I ordered a Roadside Double lettuce wrap with added bacon, which is supposed to come with Swiss cheese, and a Chocolate Shake with added malt. Well the Swiss cheese ended-up being American, and the shake they gave me was another Cookies and Cream shake that had a “Malted” sticker on its lid but tasted no different from the non-malted version I had yesterday. The burger was a complete mess, and I found the flavor profile really out of balance with way too much vinegary/acidic/sourness to the onions. Luckily, most of the onions slid off and onto the tray.
I really don’t see what’s supposed to be so special about Shake Shack, and I especially find it odd that a place named “Shake Shack” doesn’t even make their shakes to order and just gives customers pre-made ones out of a chest freezer. What a scam.
There is, indeed, a vast market for plant based simulated meat, and some of it is quite good. Except for the occasional griller served Whataburger style, I prefer my vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc. served as such. Of course tofu is a transformed, plant based food as well. I love tofu in many foods. It is usually a prominent part of many stir fried dishes and quick Thai curries.
While on a personal level i get what Tim and you are saying, there are simply a sizeable population who want plant-base meat.
Heck, on a personal level I don’t understand why anyone wants a glass cutting board, but the fact is that a good portion of people are buying them
I’ve eaten at Shake Shack only once, and everything was quite perfect for that type of food. It reminded me of old school type burgers and fries - thoroughly enjoyed it. None near where I live, would totally hit them up again while traveling.
ETA: I’m salt sensitive and reduce salt in my home cooking, so I always notice overly salted foods. In my one experience at SS, the cheeseburger and fries, were not in the least too salty.
You lost me at “unpleasant bugs.” !!!
Okay, I’ll keep reading.
