Since premiering eleven years ago, Bob's Burgers quickly grew into one of the most beloved adult sitcoms of the decade.
The animated cartoon about a family running a hamburger stand in an unspecified American city received two Emmy awards and, most recently, is returning as a full-feature animated Disney (DIS) film on May 27.
"Linda, Torpedo Jones said he liked my burger!" protagonist Bob Belcher says in one of the episodes. "I want that on my tombstone. Seriously, I do."
What's A 'Bob's Burgers' Burger?
To celebrate the premiere, Disney is launching a veggie burger called "Get This Plant Patty Started," both to serve at the red carpet premiere in L.A.'s Grauman's Chinese Theatre and sell to fans in the days leading up to the theatre launch.
The burger is part of Disney's partnership with plant-based meat producer Impossible Foods. Along with the veggie patty, it features a vegan mayo with sriracha and a slice of dairy-free American cheese.
"The 'Get This Plant Patty Started' burger stands as a fully loaded burger built with premium plant-based ingredients and a touch of heat," Hype Foods said in an Instagram post announcing the culinary creation.
The burger will be available at a pop-up at the Disney Springs AMC (AMC) Theater in Orlando between May 27 and 29.
For those who won't be able to make it to the Florida location, the two companies also posted a recipe to recreate it at home.
See it here and you'll need, among other things, an Impossible burger patty, vegan mayonnaise and pepperoncini.
What's The Strategy Here?
While fast-food chains will often release limited-edition products meant to surprise — see everything from McDonald's (MCD) Szechuan sauce to a Krispy Kreme (DNUT) donut inspired by the flavors of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal — Disney's signature food items are often tied to specific movies.
Most recently, the entertainment company announced that it would be selling hot chocolate in a cauldron with a foam image of the three sisters from "Hocus Pocus" at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in Disney World.
Other character- or movie-inspired foods that fans come to the parks to eat include classics like the Mickey Premium Bar and Woody's Lunchbox.
Bob's Burgers And Disney's Path To Adulthood
Acquiring the rights to Bob's Burgers as part of the 20th Television takeover in 2020, Disney has been on a clear path to reach more adult viewers with series like "The Mandalorian," "WandaVision" and "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier."
"It's certainly popular with families, but as a reminder, almost half of Disney+ subscribers are adults without kids," company CEO Bob Chapek told investors at a recent earnings call.
Giving a kick of double whammy of heat with both the sriracha and the pepperoncini, the "Get This Plant Patty Started" burger is also tailored to a more adult eater.
The partnership with Impossible is also an interesting move given that plant-based meat is still considered to be "niche" by many eaters.
But that is quickly changing. The alternative meat market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 19.3% between 2022 and 2030.
As a result, chains like Starbucks (SBUX), Shake Shack (SHAK) and Peet's Coffee have been expanding their plant-based menus at lightning speed as getting an early in on this market is sure to bring in loyal customers over the long term.
