We tried Burger King's plant-based Impossible Whopper next to the original — here's how they actually compare

Burger King is rolling out the plant-based Impossible Whopper at locations across the US by the end of 2019. Executives say that the meatless Impossible Whopper is almost impossible to distinguish from the original Whopper. We tried both the Impossible Whopper and the original Whopper — and we could definitely tell the difference. However, that isn't necessarily bad news for Burger King, as the Impossible Whopper is a quality burger in its own right. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.Burger King's Impossible Whopper is set to take over America. But, can it compete with the real thing？ In late April, Burger King announced plans to roll out the plant-based Impossible Whopper nationally, after a short test in St. Louis. Restaurant Brands International CEO José Cil told Business Insider on Wednesday that the test sparked positive response more quickly than the chain anticipated, with both new and loyal customers ordering the Impossible Whopper. Read more: Evidence is mounting that fast-food chains from Chick-fil-A to McDonald's will be forced to add vegan menu items — or face the consequences“We're not doing this for a quick pop,” Cil said. “We think this is a new category that we can build on for the long haul. We think that plant-based burgers and other products will continue to be part of our business for the long term.” In late April, Cil told investors that he found it “really difficult to distinguish between the Impossible Whopper and the original Whopper.” With the chain hoping to win over loyal customers and meat eaters with the new menu item, the similarities between the original and the Impossible Whopper are a major selling point for Burger King. This week, Business Insider decided to put Cil's review to the test at Restaurant Brands International's Investor Day in New York City. The company was serving both the Impossible Whopper and the original Whopper, so we decided to try each. Here is how the Impossible Whopper actually measures up to the real thing: