White Castle set to get into the greens

Bree Crye
Tue, 09 Dec 2014 05:15:46 +0000
Campus, Columbus, dr. praegers, slider, veggie slider, white castle

Slider enthusiasts can rejoice: White Castle plans to release a new vegetarian slider option to their menu.

The veggie patty is scheduled to become available at all locations Jan. 1. Currently, the new slider is being tested at select locations in New Jersey and New York, said Kim Kelly-Bartley, White Castle’s vice president of marketing and menu development.

“We want to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy White Castle,” Kelly-Bartley said. “That means expanding our slider options.”

Kelly-Bartley said the majority of feedback White Castle has received from customers has been from vegans.

“Vegans wanted vegan sauce and vegan buns,” Kelly-Bartley said. “We’re trying to see if we can accommodate the vegan requests. We’re not sure that we can.”

The new veggie patty itself is vegan, however, Kelly-Bartley said.

White Castle will source the new patties from Dr. Praegers, a frozen food company based in New Jersey.

Each vegetarian slider is 150 calories without any sauces, with five grams of fat, according to the nutritional summary provided by Jason Suitt, manager of quality assurance and research and development. Kelly-Bartley was unable to give a definitive price Dec. 2 for the new veggie patty slider at the time of the interview.

Some students at Ohio State had mixed feelings about the new slider.

Natalie Roemer, a third-year in environment, economy, development and sustainability and a vegetarian, said she was unlikely to eat at White Castle, even with their new vegetarian option.

“I try not to eat too many processed foods,” Roemer said. “Even vegetarian options from fast food restaurants aren’t too healthy.”

Still, she said that she would possibly consider trying their new veggie patty slider.

“It wouldn’t be at the top of my list of new vegetarian foods to try, though,” she added.

Phillipe Kenny, also a third-year in environment, economy, development and sustainability, said he’s eaten at White Castle before, but was not a fan.

“The food is way too greasy,” Kenny said. “And the quality of food is not very good ?— both taste and health-wise.”

Still, Kenny said he would be willing to give White Castle another chance in light of their new vegetarian slider.

“I like veggie burgers,” Kenny said. “I’m always interested in trying new ones.”

White Castle, a Columbus-based chain, first opened in 1921. The restaurant is best known for its “original sliders,” hamburgers which feature a two-by-two inch beef patty, pickles and onions. Each slider has 140 calories and six grams of fat.