johnny rockets vegan

The Johnny Rockets Streamliner Vegan Burger

img00006a It’s the Memorial Day weekend here in the US. We’ve got friends staying with us as part of their holiday. They came out to California for a week, and on Tuesday will be heading to Disney Land, and then off for a bit more sight seeing before returning home to the East Coast. Our friends have two kids and we thought we’d borrow them for the day to give the parents some time alone. So, what does one do with two pubescent girls? Well, if they’re like most teenage girls, one goes to the mall! We didn’t exactly go to the mall, but we did spend the afternoon in Old Town Pasadena, shopping and eating (same thing, no?).

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And where did we eat? Why Johnny Rockets, of course. We had to try the Johnny Rockets Streamliner (their vegan burger)! First, I’m happy to report that the vegan burger is, as advertised, cooked on a separate area of the grill. It’s not visibly marked off for the consumer, but we paid particular attention to this. For the entire time we were in the restaurant, the only things that were cooked on that part of the grill were the Streamliners, onions, and the buns. Johnny Rockets does indicate on their website that they use specific, color-coded implements to differentiate between what touches meat and what touches veggies. We didn’t notice those (that’s not to say they weren’t there and being used, but we did not see any indication that separate utensils were being used for the vegan product). This isn’t an issue for us, but there are a number of people who do find this off-putting in some way. So if this is an issue for you, you might want to call the Johnny Rockets you plan on visiting and ask them about this practice.

img00008a So, was it wonderful? Personally, I think the Morningstar Griller’s Vegan is a better patty. But it’s really great to be able to go out and have a burger and fries with your omnivorous friends and family and not feel like the odd-man-out. Our order, looked and felt like everyone else’s. Maybe not the most healthy fare, but certainly a sociable meal.

As a reminder, Johnny Rockets is offering a buy one get one on their vegan burger through the end of the month. If you’d like one, just click here: Johnny Rockets Streamliner Coupon.

And in response to those of you who asked, I did not make that vegan chocolate shake for Jane that I’d thought about bringing along. It’s kind of dreary here, overcast and cold, so I knew she’d be able to easily resist the shakes there and I was right! But next time we go, I’m going to have to give it a try!