Is the Cracker Barrel menu getting 'woke'? Meat eaters rage on Facebook over addition of Impossible sausage

[Deleted User 1511]

I just spent way too much time reading the comments on Cracker Barrel's FB page. Some people are crazy!

ETA: It seems as if the people angry about Cracker Barrel's veggie option also don't know how to make their FB accounts private. It's been a weird rabbit hole afternoon, lol.

[SallyMae]

You feel you really know why they're complaining? That it doesn't really have anything to do with meatless sausage?

It has everything to do with meatless sausage. Some people don't want to sit down to a heart-clogging, cruelly-raised, environmentally devastating steak and have to think about the problems their behavior is causing for the world. Which is very much how these same whiners feel about addressing systemic injustice of all kinds. That is why THEY are calling it "woke". It's now a slur for every change that would help the world that people don't want to make.

[Deleted User 1977]

You feel you really know why they're complaining? That it doesn't really have anything to do with meatless sausage?

It has everything to do with meatless sausage. Some people don't want to sit down to a heart-clogging, cruelly-raised, environmentally devastating steak and have to think about the problems their behavior is causing for the world. Which is very much how these same whiners feel about addressing systemic injustice of all kinds. That is why THEY are calling it "woke". It's now a slur for every change that would help the world that people don't want to make.

Or they simply could be whining because they feel that a restaurant like CB shouldn't be adding a meatless sausage to their menu....yet are more than in agreement on other things you find to be injustices in the world.

Neither you nor I know precisely how these folks feel on every social topic.

Not every single situation calls for deep thinking and reaching, making assumptions based on what few words others have written or said.

As a society, we are making broad sweeps, and it doesn't help whatsoever except to divide us further than we already are.

We're not going to agree, SallyMae, but I have enjoyed the conversation.

[Quorra2.0]

You feel you really know why they're complaining? That it doesn't really have anything to do with meatless sausage?

It has everything to do with meatless sausage. Some people don't want to sit down to a heart-clogging, cruelly-raised, environmentally devastating steak and have to think about the problems their behavior is causing for the world. Which is very much how these same whiners feel about addressing systemic injustice of all kinds. That is why THEY are calling it "woke". It's now a slur for every change that would help the world that people don't want to make.

You seriously need to reign it in. You’re starting to sound a bit like a sanctimonious twit. You realize most those impossible meats are neither healthier or less environmentally devastating right?

[Quorra2.0]

You feel you really know why they're complaining? That it doesn't really have anything to do with meatless sausage?

It has everything to do with meatless sausage. Some people don't want to sit down to a heart-clogging, cruelly-raised, environmentally devastating steak and have to think about the problems their behavior is causing for the world. Which is very much how these same whiners feel about addressing systemic injustice of all kinds. That is why THEY are calling it "woke". It's now a slur for every change that would help the world that people don't want to make.

Or they simply could be whining because they feel that a restaurant like CB shouldn't be adding a meatless sausage to their menu....yet are more than in agreement on other things you find to be injustices in the world.

Neither you nor I know precisely how these folks feel on every social topic.

Not every single situation calls for deep thinking and reaching, making assumptions based on what few words others have written or said.

As a society, we are making broad sweeps, and it doesn't help whatsoever except to divide us further than we already are.

We're not going to agree, SallyMae, but I have enjoyed the conversation.

Seriously, it’s nothing more than a display of the social media phenomena. People complain all the time over the stupidest things, particularly things that have zero effect on them. No need to think it’s something higher than it is they have an audience, are getting attention, and able to rile people up over nothing. That’s it. I’m sure a few of them are seriously perturbed because, well that’s just people, but most are probably laughing their asses off at all the outrage to their “outrage”. Some were not wrong, marketing wise, some restaurants have substantially lost money with the impossible meats. It costs them more and they do not sell enough to offset the higher purchase costs. They raise prices of other items to be able to offer the products at a comparable price or they are short lived items.

[SallyMae]

We're not going to agree, SallyMae, but I have enjoyed the conversation.

It is an honor to speak with you about it, thank you.

[Traci_Momof2]

If they aren't taking the other meat choices off the menu, then it seems silly to be upset at this choice being offered.

That said, I don't understand the whole impossible meat thing. If you are choosing to avoid meat products as a food, then why do you want your food to look like a meat product? "It's so awful that people eat cows, I won't do that, but I'm so glad I can eat my plant that looks like I'm eating a cow." Zero logic. Plus, those plant based meats are really not healthy as they are loaded with sodium for one. So they aren't making a healthy choice, they're just pretending to eat something that they are so opposed to eating. {{shrugs}}

I'm not going to spend time caring what other people choose to put in their mouths - but I will never understand the choice for not-meat that looks like meat.

[Momto2boys973]

Well, personally, I keep kosher so that means that I can’t eat certain kinds of meat (like pork) and I don’t eat meat or chicken together with dairy. Now, for people who grew up eating like that, like my kids, it’s not a big deal. They really don’t crave shrimp or bacon, for example. But I had my share of cheeseburgers and cheesy chicken enchiladas before I started keeping kosher. I like it and I miss it. Having something that does taste similar to meat that I can have with cheese is very enticing. It hits a spot. Even my son, who never had a cheeseburger in his life, enjoyed having an impossible burger.
It could be the same with people who turned towards a vegetarian/vegan diet either for health or philosophical reasons. Just because they chose to avoid these foods, it doesn’t mean they don’t miss them and having a good alternative is awesome. So there is a lot of logic behind it. Just because you choose to avoid some foods for religious, health or philosophical beliefs does it mean you find those foods repulsive. Maybe you even crave them, especially if you’ve had them before and enjoyed them.

If they aren't taking the other meat choices off the menu, then it seems silly to be upset at this choice being offered.

That said, I don't understand the whole impossible meat thing. If you are choosing to avoid meat products as a food, then why do you want your food to look like a meat product? "It's so awful that people eat cows, I won't do that, but I'm so glad I can eat my plant that looks like I'm eating a cow." Zero logic. Plus, those plant based meats are really not healthy as they are loaded with sodium for one. So they aren't making a healthy choice, they're just pretending to eat something that they are so opposed to eating. {{shrugs}}

I'm not going to spend time caring what other people choose to put in their mouths - but I will never understand the choice for not-meat that looks like meat.

[Deleted User 1511]

If they aren't taking the other meat choices off the menu, then it seems silly to be upset at this choice being offered.

That said, I don't understand the whole impossible meat thing. If you are choosing to avoid meat products as a food, then why do you want your food to look like a meat product? "It's so awful that people eat cows, I won't do that, but I'm so glad I can eat my plant that looks like I'm eating a cow." Zero logic. Plus, those plant based meats are really not healthy as they are loaded with sodium for one. So they aren't making a healthy choice, they're just pretending to eat something that they are so opposed to eating. {{shrugs}}

I'm not going to spend time caring what other people choose to put in their mouths - but I will never understand the choice for not-meat that looks like meat.

I'm a vegetarian and have been for over a decade (doctor's recommendation). I'm not morally opposed to meat at all but the few times I've "cheated" and had a piece, my digestive system has rebelled! I miss a good burger and a rare steak a lot but not willing to do that to my system again. I know that some plant based meats aren't healthy but I treat it as a splurge in the same way I eat a bowl of ice cream.

Also, I'm currently planning an event where about 200 volunteers are going to be fed hamburgers and hotdogs. I reached out to see what the need was for vegetarian options and was really surprised to have about 30% response for vegetarian. The reasons for the request have been religion, health, and Alpha-GAL (we have a lot of cases of that and Lymes in our county). There is a wide range of reasons that people are or become vegetarian or choose to eat vegetarian but many of those people still want a burger!

[SouthernIslander]

This isn't just any option. No one would complain, or call it woke, if the new option was a steak between two chicken breasts with bacon.

The problem is that vegetarian options imply care - for one's health, for animals, for the environment - which the complainers do not want to think about, because it might find them wanting.

Your last paragraph suggests that you assume far too much on why people are upset over something so silly.

Don't allow yourself to be so caught up in new tags and trends that you happen to agree with and then turn around, pointing fingers condescendingly.

Yes, the complainers are being ridiculous but how do you know they're really left "wanting?"

Why do you think they are upset?

I'm not saying this is right or wrong, I don't really care about this. Just explaining why some (not all) feel that way.

Southern food is unhealthy and its totally OK not to eat it for health reasons. However, some people take it way too far when it comes to being judgmental or being rude/condescending about it and pork is one of the main targets for some reason.

Cracker Barrell is a southern company, so the company is unfairly catching the brunt of from consumers who simply don't have to order it. That restaurant still has a shitload of traditional options for anyone to freak out about 1 or 2 menu options.

I hope that makes sense.