That seems to be the case, based on what people are saying. I just question whether or not that'll work. Is there really much demand, among people who will eat meat, for a substitute? Is there enough demand that they don't need to appeal to the vegetarian/vegan market in order to thrive?

People can enjoy tons of different styles of things. That's why I wasn't wild about this whole "we improved it!" message when the burger sounded less appealing to me than the stuff that already exists. Paying respect to differing palates also means respecting that some people aren't into what they're offering and…

You know, I've been watching that stuff too, and I truly don't see how the economics are going to work out. Is it going to be anywhere close to cheap enough to compete with factory farms? The current model produces meat very, very cheaply (in all senses of the word). I'll be interested to see if they manage to beat…

Though there's obviously a world of difference, it's kind of like how people look at whatever new thing KFC is coming out with and decide that they don't need to try it. The description just straight-up did not appeal to me. The pressed soy patty thing is of increasingly limited appeal to me and this sounds like…

Are you suggesting that I simmer down?

"Cucumber-lips" sounds like an endearment from Rod Huggins.

Exactly. It doesn't seem like a good idea to me. It sounds like the kind of veggie burger that I don't like plus yeast (the latter of which I do like, admittedly), and it costs as much as food that seems significantly better to me. Lots of other people here are excited for it, though, so I shouldn't try to speak…

I may well like the options they come up with in the future. I don't see why I shouldn't criticize this if I find fault with it. For one thing, vegetarian options tank if they aren't catering to vegetarians because that's still the largest market for vegetarian food. Will they get enough curious omnivores to try…

It's a strange thing, the continual argument over meat in diets. You get into arguments no matter which position you take. I'm a vegetarian that tends to think that other people's diets aren't really any of one's business and that others should return that courtesy, so I've never been one to criticize people for…

Do the eyes on a potato count?

Yeah. This doesn't sound unhealthy, per se, but it's not exactly health food when it's pretty much potato, protein, yeast, and oil.

All good points, and it'll be good if they get access to this (right now, it's only in, like, three cities according to the article). My problem with this thing isn't is its existence, it's with the idea that there was a problem with veggie burgers and the problem was that they didn't taste like meat. It's good to…

See, this makes sense to me. You like red meat and can't eat it, so this is perfect for you. I was just bugged that they were acting like this was somehow an improvement on the thing I was already OK with.

I think that trying to convince people to be vegetarian will get a certain amount of people onboard at any given point. I don't see this as an effective way to do that. I also question it as a bromide to current environmental concerns. Meat consumption is currently at unsustainable levels, but the level of…

If an Italian dish is already replete with beans, you can pretty much forget the meat. I've been working on a ragout that just omits the sausage and it does the job well.

What cause? Getting people to occasionally order a meatless burger? I'm not trying to convert people to vegetarianism; that's annoying and intrusive. I don't think other people's diets are my business. I'm glad when restaurants have veggie burgers on the menu, but I'm happier when they have better options. What's…

That seems like the idea. It's the marketing that I don't like. This sounds iffy as to whether or not ti even tastes good, let alone better than what's already out there.

Why should they? You can eat real burgers. If it's really a matter of getting someone through the door, it makes more sense to me to offer dishes that demonstrate that vegetarian cooking can taste good on its own, without this fake blood business. In other words, I wouldn't try to convince you with this (I wouldn't…

I think the better option, if that's the aim, is to try to work against the food desert effect. Vegetables and fruits and such depend on freshness. I'm not surprised if people don't go for them when what's on offer is meager and unappetizing. A campaign to get people to rediscover vegetables as sides (and therefore…

Mexican food is really easily adapted into vegetarian, as the meat component is often not the main show. The other ingredients are satisfying on their own. Italian food is similar to that. You can make great food based on those traditions with only mild tweaks. French cooking is a different story.