White Castle permanently adds Southwest veggie slider to menu

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White Castle said Monday it has permanently added a meat-free slider to its menu, making the Columbus, Ohio-based chain the latest fast-food company to expand its plant-based offerings even as the broader veggie-burger market faces a sales downturn.

The Southwest Veggie Slider features a crispy brown rice crust and a smoky chipotle- and barbecue-inspired veggie patty made with sweet potatoes, black beans, corn, red bell peppers, onions and carrots. The slider is served on White Castle’s signature bun and topped with jalapeño cheese, though customers can substitute American or cheddar cheese. White Castle selected a patty created by Dr Praeger’s, a company known for its vegetarian frozen foods, as the base of the sandwich.

“Our Cravers have been pretty vocal about wanting an alternative to traditional meat Sliders that doesn’t compromise on flavor,” Jamie Richardson, White Castle’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “That prompted our menu innovation team to prioritize finding a craveable alternative, and we believe the Southwest Veggie Slider delivers on that in a big way.”

The addition comes as the number of Americans who identify as vegetarian or vegan continues to grow, with recent surveys suggesting the figure stands at at least 6% of the population, and some estimates placing it at 10-15%.

Yet sales of veggie burgers have declined even as plant-based eating gains adherents. The drop has coincided with a resurgence of pro-meat dietary messaging, including new dietary guidelines announced by the Trump administration earlier this year that encourage increased protein intake from both animal and plant sources and recommend consumption of full-fat dairy products.

Major plant-based companies have responded by repositioning their products. Impossible Foods, for example, has shifted its burger messaging away from vegetarians toward meat eaters. “We’re not here to win over the salad eaters. We’re here for the meat stans,” the company’s website says.

Beyond Meat, another leading plant-based brand, rebranded as Beyond earlier this year and pivoted to protein drinks as its core burger sales continued to slump.

White Castle’s decision to add a permanent vegetarian option contrasts with the industry-wide retreat from plant-based positioning. The chain framed the move as a direct response to customer demand rather than a bet on the broader market trend.