If you’re looking for more vegetarian options at McDonald’s, we have some bad news for you. The chain recently announced that it has no plans to bring back its plant-based burger, the McPlant.
Speaking at the WSJ Global Food Forum on Wednesday, McDonald’s USA president Joe Berlinger revealed that the brand discontinued the McPlant after it majorly flopped in two American test markets.
The McPlant was intended to be a collaboration between McDonald’s and Beyond Meat, the plant-based meat alternative manufacturer that has also partnered with other casual dining chains including TGIFriday’s and Carl’s Jr. The McPlant patty consists of peas, rice, and potatoes, and is served on a sesame seed bun with standard burger toppings like tomato, lettuce, pickles, onions, and American cheese.
Initially tested in November 2021, the McPlant saw some success within select markets in Texas, Iowa, California, and Louisiana, selling about 500 burgers per week. McDonald’s then expanded the project to 600 locations across San Francisco and Dallas in February 2022, but then sales dropped to about 20 burgers per day (and as few as three to five a day in rural areas), according to analyst Peter Saleh.
Berlinger mentioned that the McPlant thrived in European markets, so much so that the chain even introduced a Double McPlant in the UK and Ireland. The plant-based burger was so popular in the Netherlands that McDonald’s added four new vegan products, including a McPlant variant, just last year. But while the McPlant manages to be beloved across the pond, it just wasn’t making a splash back at home.
“I don’t think the U.S. consumer is coming to McDonald’s or looking for McPlant or other plant-based proteins from McDonald’s now,” Erlinger said at the conference. He also added that the company won’t be reintroducing salads to the menu, since customers aren’t showing a demand for the product either.
While McDonald’s appears to be struggling with the vegetarian market, other fast food chains like Burger King and Taco Bell have seen varied degrees of success with their own plant-based menu items. Burger King launched their meatless Impossible Whopper nationwide back in August 2019, and Taco Bell introduced a Beyond Carne Asada Steak in September 2022. Both of these products have managed to do well with U.S. customers.
Instead, McDonald’s is looking to focus their attention onto other endeavors. “The bigger trend around protein consumption is really around chicken,” Berlinger said. “We think we’re poised to serve that trend well, and that’s where we’re making investments. The company also revealed in February that its chicken category represents $25 billion in annual systemwide sales, which is on par with its beef business.
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