Chick-fil-A is jumping on the plant-based bandwagon.

What You Need To Know

  • Chick-fil-A is testing its breaded cauliflower sandwich in three markets, including Greensboro, N.C.

  • It is the fast-food chain's first foray into plant-based cuisine

  • The company said it tested other plant-based sandwiches, including chopped vegetable patties, before settling on cauliflower

  • The cauliflower sandwich will be marinated, breaded and served on a bun with pickle slices

The Atlanta chain said Thursday that it’s testing its first plant-based entrée — a breaded cauliflower sandwich — at restaurants around Greensboro, North Carolina, Denver and Charleston, South Carolina. The test begins Monday.

Chick-fil-A said its culinary team spent four years developing the sandwich after guests told the chain they wanted to add more vegetables to their diets. Chick-fil-A tested mushrooms, chickpeas and chopped vegetables formed into patties but kept returning to cauliflower for its mild flavor.

Like Chick-fil-A’s signature chicken sandwich, the cauliflower steak is marinated, breaded, pressure-cooked and then served on a bun with two pickle slices.

Chick-fil-A is a relative latecomer to the plant-based fast food scene.

Burger King started selling its Impossible Whopper — featuring a plant-based burger made by Impossible Foods — in 2019. Starbucks launched an Impossible sausage sandwich in 2020. McDonald’s debuted its McPlant burger — developed with Beyond Meat — in the United Kingdom in 2021. And KFC began selling Beyond Meat nuggets last year.