Fatburger Debuts Its Version of the Double Down Taking a page from KFC, Fatburger doubles the meat, holds the buns with this new, high-protein offering.
By Kate Taylor
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Miss KFC's Double Down? Fatburger is serving up its own meat-heavy, bun-less sandwich with a new "protein-style" burger.
The newest Fatburger/Buffalo's Express restaurant, which opened on Monday in Beverly Hills, offers a burger that replaces buns with burgers. Fatburger crams typical burger toppings, including onion, lettuce and pickles, and add-ons, such as cheese, bacon and eggs, in between two lean burger patties. The burger starts at $4.50 for a smaller size and goes up to $7.50 for the large version. Oh and if two patties aren't enough, you can add more.
The burger will soon roll out at Fatburgers nationwide.
Related: Survey: McDonald's Has the Worst Burger in America
Among bun-haters and meat-lovers, Fatburgers' latest offering is sure to draw comparisons to KFC's Double Down, which sandwiched cheese and bacon between two pieces of fried chicken. However, while KFC embraced the gluttony of the Double Down, Fatburger is trying to spin the new menu item as a healthy offering.
"The protein-style burger is perfect for those looking to minimize carbohydrate intake, while increasing protein to sustain energy throughout the day," says a Fatburger spokesperson.
In recent months, protein has become the latest buzzword for fast-food and fast-casual chains. In July, Taco Bell launched the "Power Platform," which serves up burritos and burrito bowls with more than 20 grams of protein and less than 500 calories. Panera Bread is another fast-casual protein pusher, with its own high-protein, low-carb "power menu" released this year.
Be on the lookout for more chains eager to cash in on the health-conscious shopper – without necessarily having to cut calories – as "high-protein" becomes the new trendy menu label.
Related: Taco Bell's New Strategy in the Breakfast Wars: Protein Power
