A vegetarian's nightmare come true at The Wave (Goodbye)

I have to ask - could you taste the beet juice at all?

The Impossible burger doesn't contain beet juice, the Beyond Burger does. Impossible burger uses heme to get the "blood" look.

For me it was mostly a texture issue. It was not similar to beef to me. It was very crumbly and kind of mealy/dry, if that makes sense. It left a strange aftertaste in my mouth as well. I couldn't finish it.
 
It’s also the enzymes for digestion are not there if you switch back to meat quickly, like a full on burger. They are not used to being in action If you are a vegetarian chomping on a burger

Meat only requires pepsin to be digested. Pepsin is required to digest ALL proteins, and I assume vegetarians still eat protein, right? Vegetarians produce plenty of pepsin.
 
I respectfully disagree. When you don't eat something for a very long time, or you reduce the amount of it that you eat, and then you eat it again or eat more of it, you can definitely have adverse effects. I've experienced it with several different foods/ingredients, including both salt & sugar (increases in either), which is why while many folks view vacation as a time to let loose and enjoy lots of food treat, I stick as close to my regular diet as possible, because I just happen to be a person whose body does react badly to something it's not used to anymore.

There is a difference between overdoing it on vacation and eating something after many years. I think of something like this as being the same thing as trying something for the first time in adulthood. I've never had lots of stuff, like lamb, venison, many seafoods, some fruits/vegetables, etc. I am 41. If I sat down to a plate of scallops (which I've never had), I wouldn't expect to become ill, even though my body has never had it. The human body is remarkably adaptable to digesting a huge variety of things.
 
Have you personally tried the Impossible Burger? It is, in fact, so similar that most carnivores are easily duped (myself included) - even when they are side by side in a taste test. Indeed, this was the second burger had at the Wave and there was no noticeable differences between the first and second. They both "bleed", have the same texture, color, etc. We didn't ask the second time b/c the first burger was brought to us and it was explained that they are so similar they wanted us to rest assured it was not beef. When ordering the second, we explained we'd already had it two days before (when the waiter wasn't familiar with it) and thought nothing more about it because we trusted them to give us what we ordered. How someone who hasn't had meat in almost 30 years would know the difference, when those of us that eat meat regularly can't tell, is beyond me.

As a vegetarian who hasn't had real beef since I was 15 (so almost 30 years) I'm not sure if I'd be able to tell the difference. The 2 Impossible Burgers I've had have been so similar to what I remember beef being like that I couldn't be sure they weren't meat. (I don't really think they were meat, but my taste buds were 100% fooled.)
 


The Impossible burger doesn't contain beet juice, the Beyond Burger does. Impossible burger uses heme to get the "blood" look.

For me it was mostly a texture issue. It was not similar to beef to me. It was very crumbly and kind of mealy/dry, if that makes sense. It left a strange aftertaste in my mouth as well. I couldn't finish it.
Okay, thanks!
 
I doubt your partner ate a real burger.

I eat Impossible Whoppers weekly (I just polished off two) and can tell the difference just by sight. I think your partner got sick from something else.

I'm a vegetarian mostly plant based myself. No dairy or fish.
 
That sounds like a horrible experience! I totally understand how your partner felt ill after eating the beef burger. If you're eaten vegetarian/vegan for awhile and then you eat meat...especially something fatty like a burger at a restaurant, it can send your GI tract into overdrive and you can end up feeling pretty awful.
 


As a vegetarian who has eaten plenty of Impossible burgers and Beyond Burgers, you can definitely tell the difference.

I know Impossible and Beyond "meats" sometimes make people ill so it could be his body doesn't agree with it. I know if I eat too much Beyond meat, I feel a little sick so I don't eat it often.
 
Sorry, but it sounds a lot like you just got the wrong item put on your receipt rather than being given a beef burger by mistake.

The impossible burger is not just the signature burger with the beef swapped out - it come with different toppings including bacon.
Surely your partner would have noticed getting something that different if he had only had the impossible burger a few days before?

As good as they are, impossible burgers are not exactly the same as the real thing - I really think he would have noticed a difference in the taste/texture etc. as well.

While I'm not going to say eating meat after a long period without couldn't cause illness, it also isn't that likely to cause it either and there is certainly a good chance the sickness was from something else.

I also think their offer of a private meal was perfectly reasonable - do you really think the same thing would happen at this meal (even if it did in the first place which seems doubtful)?
 
I can't comment on the OP's difficulties, really, but after decades of not eating meat, the Impossible (or maybe it was Beyond) burger I had at Restaurantosaurus last year looked, tasted, and smelled exactly like meat to me. I took 2 bites and pitched it, since it grossed me out. I understand that a lot of vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores like these burgers, but I'm not among them. Just my take on it.
 
Also, I've been hearing more and more that they are supposed to be making greater strides in offering options for vegetarians & vegans (Although personally, I wish they'd keep offering burgers that are NOT Impossible or Beyond burgers, since they are revolting to me.), so hopefully in time restaurant staff will become more and more accustomed to dealing with these menu items, which can only help. :)

I'm not vegan or vegetarian (though I love my vegetables) and I have no interest in even trying an Impossible or Beyond burger. People should read up on what these are actually made of. These are much more like a "frankenfood" than something that is healthful and made from whole vegetables.
 
Meat only requires pepsin to be digested. Pepsin is required to digest ALL proteins, and I assume vegetarians still eat protein, right? Vegetarians produce plenty of pepsin.

Vegetables contain protein. In fact, on a calorie basis, some vegetables have more protein than beef.
 
Just because the receipt says one thing doesn't mean that's what you were served. Your partner didn't realize it was beef while eating it? I find it hard to believe that the Impossible Burger is so close to beef, and even if it was I would think a 29 year vegetarian would at least ask to make sure. Wait, and now that I read it again it sounds like this was the SECOND burger he tried at the Wave? This does not make sense.

The plant based burgers in many places actually "bleed" and do taste like beef. I have had a version and was surprised that the "meat" tasted like meat.
 
Thanks, Farro! I appreciate the comment. We did not ask for anything additional after the refund (in fact, we didn't even ask for the refund). At that point the damage was done. This one was tough for us b/c I don't know how you'd really compensate for what we consider a betrayal of trust. The main reasons for the complaints to management was to prevent this from happening to someone else. Hopefully, that will be case.


It seems to me that they wanted to make it right. The issue is that the solution was not what you wanted. At that point you are obligated to speak up and ask for what will break the situation better.

There is a vast difference between a betrayal of trust and a mistake, IMO. Now I understand that we trust Disney when it comes to allergies and food sensitivities, but I firmly believe that honest mistakes can occur. I have dealt with food allergies in WDW and am very impressed witht the care that is taken, but I understand that when an error happens to you, the consequences are personal.
 
That sounds like a horrible experience! I totally understand how your partner felt ill after eating the beef burger. If you're eaten vegetarian/vegan for awhile and then you eat meat...especially something fatty like a burger at a restaurant, it can send your GI tract into overdrive and you can end up feeling pretty awful.
I can't speak to the OP's experience here, but I recently had a Beyond Burger at Rainforest Cafe and ended up feeling pretty lousy. I don't think it was meat - though the first time I encountered one of these I wasn't sure. I think it was a giant whatever-they-put-in-those and was just too much - it was huge.
 
I'm pretty sure he would have been able to tell the difference in patties had they been different each night. There is a substance texture difference on the thick patties. What could have happened is the patty could have been could have been cooked next to a real burger the second night and that may have gotten on it and made him sick? I know my friends who don't eat meat on a regular basis get upset stomachs when they consume it. They don't throw up, but they get an upset stomach.

Two of them tried the impossible whopper and did get upset stomachs due to it being cooked on the same surface as the regular meats
 
Just wanted to add my 2 cents from a server’s point of view. I have previously waited tables at 2 different restaurants. If a menu item is particularly difficult to find to ring in, it is not at all uncommon to ring up something similar that is the same cost and just tell the chef directly what you want made. This is especially common if a menu item is new or a special item as they may not be in the system. As others have mentioned, the signature burger would have come with bacon which your partner would obviously have noticed. So it is unlikely what you got was actually a “signature burger” and was likely just rung in as such by a server who couldn’t figure out how to ring up the Impossible burger. In all likelihood, your partner probably received an Impossible burger and the illness was coincidental or due to “vacation dining” (larger, greasier meals than usual).

I certainly cannot say from a vegetarian’s standpoint, but from a meat eater’s stand point, there is no way I’d confuse an Impossible burger with a regular beef burger (and yes, I’ve had Impossible burgers).

TLDR: what is says on the receipt is not necessarily what you were served.
 
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This is a cautionary tale for any vegetarians that trust Disney World's dining.

While visiting in early October (Saturday the 5th to be exact), my partner and I went to The Wave at the Contemporary. This was our second meal there during our trip. We've been going there for years and have always had great service and food.

During our first visit during this trip, my partner (who hasn't had meat in over 29 years) was offered the Impossible Burger as an option. He had specifically waited until we were at Disney World because we trusted them (vs. perhaps trying it at a fast food restaurant here at home, where we have no idea who is making or serving the items). The first visit went off w/o issue and he enjoyed his Impossible Burger very much. He is enjoyed it, so much so, that he again ordered it on our second visit. However, this is where the visit went off the rails.

The server wasn't familiar with the impossible burger, so he wrote it down and went to ask the Chef. He came back and said it was available and we ordered. After our late meal, we went back to the room where he started to feel ill and nauseous. This got worse and he was ill for the entire night. That's when we decided to compare the receipts for the two meals and realized one was listed as a Veggie Burger while the second was listed as a Signature burger. He had been served their full blown, red meat burger during the second meal!! We were stunned, shocked and to put it bluntly, TICKED OFF! We immediately called and complained, but were speaking to the folks that can only handle pre-arrival issues. We were advised to go to the front desk and ask to speak with the manager.

While I was on the phone, my partner walked over (still ill) to speak with the manager at the restaurant. The manager on duty told him he couldn't help, b/c he was managing breakfast (not the dinner the previous evening) and offered no assistance or help with the issue. So much for that Disney service they brag about so much (i.e. I didn't cause the issue, but it's my problem) it was just our problem.

Upon speaking with the front desk manager, we received lots of sympathy and a refund for the meal. However, that seemed like little consolation to my partner. Due to his being ill, we had to cancel our Sunday Brunch Dining at the California Grill - but still incurred a charge. We were told that "the situation would be handled" with the Server and the Chef.

About an hour later, we receive a call from the Manager of The Wave. This call was to offer us private dining at the Wave. We couldn't believe their solution/offer to rectify the situation would be to offer us MORE FOOD from the restaurant that made him ILL. Really? We wouldn't trust them to make toast at this point - let alone ever step foot in the restaurant again.

All in all, in what an EPIC failure on Disney's part. To any others visiting, please be careful. While it didn't in our case, this could mean life or death for others. Please be cautious and if you think something is even SLIGHTLY off, ask questions and demand answers. We won't be returning, thus our new name for the restaurant The Wave (Goodbye). Hope nobody ever has to go through this during their trip!

Soooo.... he ate the whole burger and had no idea it was beef? 🤨

Something seems off here.
 
I'm vegetarian and love the Impossible burgers. They are really hard to tell the difference from other fast food type burgers like the Whopper.

Not trying to be rude here, but I’ve had both and no they’re not lol. Especially if you haven’t had meat in 30+ years, you’d know.
 

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