Courtesy of Lion's Choice
Lion’s Choice is entering the plant-based game with a meatball sub. After a successful test run at a handful of area spots, the St. Louis–based fast-food chain is adding the vegetarian option to all of its locations across St. Louis, Kansas City, and Illinois. The sandwich will be available at all Lion’s Choice locations September 14. The price is $6.99 for the sandwich or $9.99 with a side dish and drink.
The plant-based meatball sub is being made in partnership with Hungry Planet, another St. Louis–based company, which makes plant-based meats offered in grocery stores and delis across the nation. The new special will use plant-based Italian sausage meatballs, topped with marinara sauce and Provel cheese on a toasted hoagie. (Customers can also opt for a vegan option by omitting the cheese.)
The new plant-based sandwich represents the shifting sands in fast-food offerings. “It took us a while to get the product to market,” says Lion's Choice president and CEO Mike Kupstas. "Our thought was that if it wasn’t ridiculously good, we wouldn’t go there.
"We ended up adapting an existing [Hungry Planet] Italian sausage product to be better tasting and gluten-free. Some of the testers, who were not aware they were eating a plant-based product, were blown away. If all goes well, the next logical step is for us to offer something else, to add some plant-based variety. As market tendencies continues to shift, it only makes sense.
"Based on our research, we firmly believe it will become a permanent menu item," he adds. "It also presents an opportunity for people who for whatever reason—vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, whatever—have never visited us. During the testing, I met several dozen people who liked the product and had never set foot in a Lion’s Choice. If you think about it that way, I don’t see how it can’t stay on the menu."
Courtesy of Lion's Choice
Kupstas says dietary concerns continue to be a high priority and a driver for future growth. “The gluten-free fried chicken tender sandwich [introduced this summer] continues to get rave reviews,” he says. “It’s as good as any chicken sandwich you’ll get. Our new Chili Lime Crispy Chicken Salad (pictured at right) is gluten-free as well, as are our fries for that matter.
“Anytime we can eliminate the veto vote, where some member of the family rules out Lion’s Choice for whatever reason, we increase frequency,” Kupstas says. "With these new products and initiatives, our goal is to provide a seat at the table for everyone.”
The plant-based meatball sub isn't the first local collaboration for Lion's Choice. In the past, the chain's also offered the Crafted Braised Brisket Sandwich in partnership with Gerard Craft, as well as the Lenten Crispy Cod Sandwich and the Butcher Block Sandwich, which combines roast beef, oven-roasted turkey, and hickory-smoked ham.
And the brand has evolved in other ways in recent years. Lion’s Choice sales increased from 50 percent drive-through business to 94 percent during the pandemic, and that figure remains at 70 percent, according to Kupstas. Delivery is also up 20 percent from last year. “There are several reasons for all that," says Kupstas, "but the bottom line is we don’t see those numbers decreasing.”
