Starbucks is phasing out the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich, its only plant-based meat item on the U.S. menu, this month. Its new Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese lands Thursday, Nov. 5, and vegans have noticed.
Starbucks' only plant-based meat sandwich is on its way out.
The Impossible Breakfast Sandwich is being phased out of U.S. stores in November, Bloomberg first reported Tuesday, Nov. 3. It's been around since June 2020, when Starbucks put it in most of its U.S. stores. That's a run of more than six years.
Starbucks didn't give a specific reason. The company said it reviews its menu regularly using "various criteria," and that baristas "would be happy to recommend an alternative sandwich."
The timing stings for some fans. Starbucks' holiday menu adds a new Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese on Thursday, Nov. 5. Starbucks hasn't called it a replacement, but VegNews framed it as a swap, and plenty of commenters saw it the same way.
What was on the Starbucks Impossible Breakfast Sandwich?
An Impossible Sausage patty, a cage-free fried egg and aged cheddar on a sesame ciabatta bun, TheStreet reported. It came in at 420 calories with 21 grams of protein.
It was never vegan, though. The egg and cheese are animal products, and VegNews notes the ciabatta contains dairy, too. It was more of a meatless pick for vegetarians and flexitarians.
It was also the only plant-based meat item on Starbucks' advertised U.S. menu, Briefs reported. Once it's gone, there's no fake sausage, fake bacon or fake anything left on the board.
When is Starbucks discontinuing the Impossible Breakfast Sandwich?
This month. Starbucks hasn't given an exact last day, so if your store still has it, this might be the week to grab one more.
The sandwich launched in the U.S. on June 23, 2020, the AP reported at the time. It was Starbucks' first plant-based food item in the country, following a Beyond Meat breakfast sandwich in Canada and Beyond Meat dishes in China earlier that year.
How are vegans reacting to the Starbucks Impossible sandwich news?
Not well. "This company does not care about vegans or dairy-free customers," one Reddit commenter wrote, in a post VegNews highlighted and borrowed for its headline.
VegNews also pointed out that the Spicy Falafel Pocket is now Starbucks' only certified vegan savory item. It joined the permanent menu in 2025. Starbucks did drop its extra charge for non-dairy milk in 2024, so oat milk fans still have that.
Impossible Foods took the breakup politely. A spokesperson said the company is "proud to have partnered with Starbucks for more than six years." It said it's still committed to making meat from plants more accessible, Green Queen reported.
What meatless breakfast sandwiches does Starbucks still have?
The Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich is still on the menu as a vegetarian option, TheStreet reported. Starbucks has a few other meatless choices, but none with a plant-based meat patty.
What's on the Starbucks holiday food menu for 2026?
Everything arrives Nov. 5. On the food side, the new Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese joins a new recipe for the Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich, plus returning favorites like the Cranberry Bliss Bar, Snowman Cookie and Sugar Plum Cheese Danish.
Drinks include the new Tiramisu Velvet Latte and Tiramisu Velvet Cold Brew, with the Peppermint Mocha back again. Starbucks hasn't shared a full ingredient list for the short rib grilled cheese yet.
Why are restaurants dropping plant-based meat?
Starbucks didn't tie this to sales. But the category has been shrinking. U.S. plant-based meat and seafood retail sales fell 10% in 2025, and foodservice sales dropped 7% to $291 million, TheStreet reported.
Starbucks has company. IHOP, the Cheesecake Factory and White Castle have dropped Impossible products, and McDonald's no longer sells its McPlant, Green Queen reported. Burger King still has the Impossible Whopper.
It also fits a bigger cleanup. In January 2025, CEO Brian Niccol announced plans to cut about 30% of Starbucks' food and drink menu by the end of fiscal 2025, aiming for simpler prep and shorter waits.
So the Impossible sandwich survived a pandemic launch and a menu purge before getting the boot. Not a bad run for a sausage that never met a pig.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
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Hat Tips:
Bloomberg (Nov. 3, 2026), first report of the phase-out and Starbucks' statement
Briefs (Nov. 3, 2026), Starbucks and Impossible Foods statements and the only-plant-based-meat-item detail
TheStreet (Nov. 4, 2026), sandwich ingredients and nutrition, the Egg, Pesto & Mozzarella Sandwich, Niccol's menu cuts and plant-based sales figures
VegNews (Nov. 4, 2026), the vegan reaction, the Spicy Falafel Pocket, the non-dairy milk charge and the short rib grilled cheese date
Green Queen (Nov. 4, 2026), Impossible Foods' comment and other chains dropping plant-based meat
Food Network (Oct. 5, 2026), the 2026 holiday food and drink lineup
Associated Press via ABC7 (June 23, 2020), the original U.S. launch and Starbucks' earlier plant-based items abroad
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