White Castle Just Added This Slider To Its Forever Menu (And We're So Grateful)

White Castle may well be the quintessential American fast food restaurant (it's also the first fast food restaurant), and it's been around for over 100 years, but that doesn't mean it can't keep up with the times. Its basic burger may not have changed much since 1921 (except for the price), but the menu continues to expand. The latest addition to the permanent menu is something that targets a new audience, as spice-loving vegetarians will want to check out the new Southwest Veggie Slider.

The slider's protein comes from a company called Dr Praeger's. The chipotle-flavored patty is made from bell peppers, black beans, carrots, corn, onions, and sweet potatoes rolled in a crust of brown rice. The burger comes on the same bun as the regular sliders and is covered in a slice of jalapeño cheese (American and cheddar cheese are also available upon request, or you could ask that the cheese be omitted if you'd prefer a dairy-free version). Some locations don't yet appear to have the veggie slider on the menu, but the nationwide rollout was announced just this week so it should be coming soon. Where the new item is available, it's been reported to sell for $2.49, but prices may vary by location. During the month of July, Craver Nation Rewards members will be able to purchase a combo meal consisting of two Southwest Veggie Sliders, a small order of fries, and a small drink for $5.

The Southwest Veggie Slider isn't the first non-meat patty White Castle has offered. Some White Castles were selling veggie sliders as early as 2015 (at which time they cost a mere 99 cents). In 2018 it started carrying Impossible burger patties alongside Dr. Praeger's black bean patties, then in 2020 it added dairy-free cheese. The new Southwest Veggie Slider is just the latest addition to the vegetarian-friendly lineup.

White Castle isn't the only fast food chain currently offering a non-meat burger, but it is one of a select few. Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers has a black bean-based veggie burger on the menu despite its dairy and meat-centric name, while Shake Shack offers both a mushroom burger and a veggie patty made from carrots, farro, mushrooms, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. Burger King also still sells the same Impossible Whopper it introduced in 2019. It's alone among the "Big Three," though, since neither the nation's second-largest burger chain (Wendy's) nor the largest (McDonald's) offers any type of non-meat burger at present.