Burger King’s new cheeseburger may be meat-free, but its water consumption will shock you

Globally, Burger King is leading the fast-food industry in adopting plant-based innovations. From meatless Whoppers to plant-based chicken nuggets, the chain is king of all things meatless.

But Burger King’s latest launch? A monstrous real cheeseburger that takes itself literally with 20 slices of dairy cheese – and not much else – geometrically packed between two moles.

Burger King unveiled the creation in Thailand, where customers took to social media to share their reactions to the over-the-top dairy-loaded sandwich.

Burger King

On Burger King Thailand’s menu, the Real Cheeseburger costs 109 Thai baht each (or about $3), a savings of $7 over what the DIY would cost from the regular menu.

However, ordering a real cheeseburger actually comes at a much higher cost to the environment when water consumption is considered.

How much water does Burger King’s original cheeseburger use?

For good reason, beef production has long been in the spotlight for its high environmental footprint but the water-intensive nature of cheese production has been largely overlooked. However, livestock farming, especially for dairy production, involves considerable water use, as animals require water for drinking, cleaning and milk production. Additionally, crops such as alfalfa and corn, which are used for animal feed, require extensive irrigation.

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So how much water does it take to make Burger King’s Real Cheeseburger? According to the nonprofit Water Education, it takes 56 gallons of water to make a 1-ounce slice of cheese—which means Burger King’s cheeseburger uses 1,120 gallons of water per sandwich.

Given its over-the-top 20-slice build, this cheeseburger surpasses an average 4-ounce hamburger that requires about 616 gallons of water to produce. Want to add another slice of cheese? Burger King charges you an extra 20 Thai baht (or 58¢), which costs the environment another 56 gallons.

Burger King’s original vegan cheeseburger

What could be a more sustainable option than a dairy-loaded cheeseburger? Maybe a true vegan cheeseburger, which cuts out cows from making cheese and beef for a much smaller environmental impact.

And Burger King has already made strides in this area with its UK position. Earlier in the year, Burger King UK took an important step towards sustainability by introducing a vegan bacon cheeseburger to its menu.

Burger King UK

Available as a single or double, the Plant-Based Bacon King is made with a flame-grilled plant-based Whopper patty served on a classic Whopper bun, layered with vegan cheese slices and strips of vegan bacon and finished with egg-free mayo. is and ketchup.

Also on the UK menu is the Vegan Royal Bacon King, which features a vegan royal patty nestled in a sesame seed bun, topped with vegan bacon, two slices of vegan cheese and drizzled with egg-free mayo and ketchup.

The patties are made by Burger King’s longtime plant-based supplier The Vegetarian Butcher, the vegan bacon is made by French company La Vie, and the vegan cheese is made by Violife.

All of these plant-based products are less resource-intensive than the animal products they replace. For example, Violife’s vegan cheddar slices use about 47-percent less water than their dairy counterparts, according to the company’s Life Cycle Analysis report.

Burger King

Burger King’s embrace of these vegan bacon cheeseburgers, it says, is part of a larger effort to create a more environmentally conscious menu. In the UK, fast-food chains aim to reach a 50-percent meat-free menu by 2030, consistent with a shift towards plant-based alternatives and sustainable practices.

“Adapting to customer preferences is a key focus for Burger King,” Burger King UK chief executive Alasdair Murdoch said in a statement earlier.

“We are committed to helping our guests make better decisions about what they eat and drink and providing them with informed choices,” said Murdoch.

The menu at Burger King UK is a snapshot of the plant-based progress the fast-food chain has been making since introducing the Impossible Whopper in the US in 2019. Burger King’s foray into plant-based cuisine has led to meatless (and sometimes all-vegetarian) pop-ups around the world, from Germany to Spain to Costa Rica, and most recently, Denmark.

Burger King

The fast-food chain has run several campaigns to replace plant-based meats as the norm instead of alternatives in an effort to further entice consumers to choose more sustainable proteins.

How much water could Burger King save by replacing those 20 slices of cheese on the Real Cheeseburger with Willolife’s version? About 526 gallons, or more than 12 bathtubs worth of water.