Vegan Chain Next Level Burger Wins Newsweek's Best Fast-Food Award
A small vegan burger chain has just scored a massive upset victory over fast food giants. Next Level Burger (NLB), the self-proclaimed "America's first 100% plant-based burger joint chain," has been crowned Best Fast-Food Chain in the 2024 Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards - besting conventional non-vegan juggernauts like Whataburger, Chipotle, and Chick-Fil-A.
How did a 10-unit all-vegan upstart beat chains with thousands of locations and global brand recognition? Pure passion and the power of plant-based eating, according to NLB co-founder and CEO Matt de Gruyter. "The fact that our 10-unit vegan restaurant chain was able to beat out chains with […] global brand presence is an incredible honor," de Gruyter beamed. "For us, the significance of this win is even deeper, as it shows that consumers are becoming more aware of the footprint of their food choices."
While other nominated chains rely on beef, chicken and dairy, NLB serves up a 100% plant-based menu featuring house-made veggie patties, Beyond Burgers, quinoa mushroom burgers, and creamy vegan shakes. The concept has clearly struck a chord, as NLB recently expanded to 25 locations by acquiring the Veggie Grill chain.
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As the largest wholly-owned plant-based restaurant group in North America, NLB has ambitious plans for further expansion. But de Gruyter sees an even bigger mission: "This is the story of forward-thinking stewardship and sustainability – for ourselves, our planet, and the sentient beings we share it with. At NLB, we believe the future is bright, but that it's up to all of us to make sure of it."
Earlier, Loc8NearMe covered other notable developments from the Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards. In the supermarket category, New York-based Asian-American chain Great Wall Supermarket dethroned longtime favorite Wegmans to claim the top spot in Newsweek's 2024 rankings of America's best retailers. Trader Joe's was named the best discount supermarket, while Costco also took the crown for most popular superstore and warehouse chain.