McDonald’s McPlant: McDonald’s Vegan Burger

Have you ever wondered what happens if your favorite fast-food restaurant starts offering plant-based menu items? Your beloved McDonald’s offers many vegan menu options looking at the demand for plant-based offerings. Many people demanded the proper vegan burger from McDonald’s, and the chain finally answered the call. So, here is all about McDonald’s McPlant vegan burgers. 

McDonald's McPlant

McPlant Burger is a plant-based burger with a vegan patty made with a blend of potatoes, peas, protein, and rice. The patty is served on the sesame seed bun with ketchup, mustard, pickle, onion, lettuce, vegan cheese, and vegan sauce. It was launched in 2021 for $6.29 in many countries worldwide. 

In recent years, plant-based offerings have surged in demand. Many people are becoming health-conscious and looking for healthier alternatives. Many even turned vegans. So, McDonald’s launched the McPlant burger to align with the new trend. 

Let’s explore what the McPlant burger is made of and how it’s different from the traditional burger. Moreover, I will also share some reviews of McPlant burgers shared by individuals who have experienced the McPlant burger. So, let’s get started. 

What Is McDonald’s McPlant?

What Is McDonald's McPlant

McDonald’s McPlant Burger is a plant-based burger introduced by McDonald’s in 2021. It’s a vegan burger containing a patty and other vegan ingredients like vegan sandwich sauce and vegan cheese alternatives. 

The McPlant burger patty is seasoned well and made from peas, potatoes, and rice. The patty is served on a sesame seed bun with vegan cheese, ketchup, mustard pickles, onions, and lettuce. 

The burger is sold in many European countries like Austria, Germany, and Portugal. This McPlant burger was also successful in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States. The McPlant burger is priced at $6.29 on McDonald’s original menu.

McDonald’s McPlant Ingredients

The McPlant burger is made of:

  • Plant-based patty (water, pea protein, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, flavoring, rice protein, methylcellulose, potato starch, apple extract, salt, pomegranate extract, potassium chloride, concentrated lemon juice, maize vinegar, yeast extract, carrot powder, emulsifier)
  • Sesame seed bun
  • Vegan cheese
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Pickles
  • Onions
  • Lettuce 

I have compared the McPlant burger with the McDonald’s classic hamburger as these two burgers share a similar ingredient list: 

The hamburger is made of:

  • Beef patty (100% pure beef, no fillers, no additives)
  • Sesame seed bun
  • Cheese (American cheese)
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Pickles
  • Onions

Here, you can see that the quarter pounder is made with a beef patty instead of the vegan patty and includes 100% beef. Also, McDonald’s serves vegan cheese with the McPlant burger made in partnership with Beyond Meat (which produces plant-based meat substitutes).

The McPlant is a good option for vegetarians and vegans looking for plant-based burgers that taste like original burgers.  

Where Was The Vegan McPlant Launched?

McPlant Burger was launched all over the world. The first time it was established was in 2021; later, it was found in more than 20 countries nationwide. 

Here is the list of all the countries where you can find the McPlant burger:

  • Germany 
  • Netherlands 
  • Switzerland 
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • Austria
  • Australia
  • Denmark
  • Sweden
  • Portugal 

Was The McPlant Burger Fully Vegan?

No, the McPlant burger is not entirely vegan in some countries. For example, in Germany, the burger patty is cooked on the same grill as other meat products, so there is a high chance of cross-contamination. Besides, the Netherlands sells McPlant burgers with non-vegan cheese. 

The sauce that is added to the McPlant burger contains egg and milk. Therefore, you cannot say that a McPlant burger is fully vegan in countries like Germany, Netherlands, or Portugal.

However, the McPlant burger is fully vegan in countries like the United States and the United Kingdom. The burger is made with vegan sandwich sauce and vegan cheese alternatives. Also, the vegan patty is cooked on a different grill. Therefore, the McPlant burger is not entirely vegan in all countries. 

Was The McPlant Burger Cooked Separately?

Was The McPlant Burger Cooked Separately

McPlant burgers are cooked separately in many countries. This is to ensure that there is no chance of cross-contamination with other meat products. In some countries, McDonald’s uses different grills and utensils to produce McPlant burgers.

However, some countries still do not provide fully vegan McPlant burgers. There can be a case of cross-contamination. 

Here are some countries where the McPlant burger is cooked separately:

  • United Kingdom
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Australia
  • New Zealand 

Here are those countries where you can find a chance of cross-contamination:

  • Germany
  • Switzerland
  • Italy

Is The Cheese On McPlant Burger Vegan?

The cheese on the McPlant burger is vegan in some countries but not others. For example, in the United States and the United Kingdom, the cheese used is vegan. Whereas, in some countries like Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain, the McPlant burger doesn’t use vegan cheese.

So, if you are vegan and concerned about the vegan status of your McPlant burger, you must talk to the crew member to see what cheese 

is used in your country. 

Does McPlant Taste Like A McDonald’s Burger?

Yes, the McPlant burger does taste like a McDonald’s burger. It is made from the same ingredients primarily used in traditional burgers, such as pickles, onions, lettuce, cheese, and patty. 

The McPlant burger is a well-received burger from the customers. However, there are mixed reviews from customers as the taste of the burger is subjective.

According to Business Insider, the reviewer commented that “McDonald’s McPlant burger tastes similar to Big Mac.” A reviewer from Eater said, “The flavor of the McPlant burger is somewhere between the vicinity of beefy.”    

Most of the reviewers found similarities between their traditional burger and McPlant burger.

Was The McPlant Healthy?

Was The McPlant Healthy

Yes, the McPlant burger is considered to be a healthy option. It is lower in saturated fat and calories than other McDonald’s burgers and contains more fiber.

Here are nutritional information by which you can see it’s a healthy version:

Calories 429 kcal

Fat 23 g

Sodium 980 mg

Carbohydrates 45 g

Protein 28 g

However, it’s important to note that the McPlant burger is still processed. So, these foods from McDonald’s are bad for your body. The McPlant burger contains modified potato starch and other artificial ingredients that are not healthy. 

If you are looking for healthy options from McDonald’s, you can check the nutritional values of the food items and choose the one that best suits you.  

Did People Like The McPlant?

Did People Like The McPlant

McDonald’s listened to many customers and started offering the McPlant burger as a vegan option. It’s a lovely vegan burger similar to a classic hamburger at McDonald’s. Many people tried the burger and shared their honest reviews on the internet. So, let’s look at some of the reviews by customers on the internet.

One Quora member commented, “It looks like a pretty average burger, not even as exciting as a quarter pounder.” One person commented, “It’s not as healthy as beef burgers and quite expensive too. I would rather stick with the real hamburger.”

Others commented on Reddit, “It doesn’t matter whether it has beef or vegan patty. The hamburger and McPlant burger have similar sauces, which makes them taste different. So, it’s all in all the same thing.”

On social media, someone commented, “The McPlant burger has the recognizable McDonald’s taste, juicy patties with a meat-like texture.”

Now let’s look at the reviews of some famous YouTubers. So, the Daym Drops, a YouTube channel, commented, “The McPlant burger is a pretty! Dammnn that seasoning on the patties is wonderful.”

Many people liked the burger and found similarities to traditional McDonald’s burgers.  

Why Was McDonald’s McPlant Discontinued?

There are many reasons why the McPlant burger got discontinued. Firstly, the McPlant burger was more expensive than other McDonald’s burgers.

For example, the big mac sandwich is priced at $4.69, the quarter pounder with cheese is valued at $4.89, and the crispy chicken sandwich costs around $3.99. 

The McPlant burger is priced at $6.29; if you order fries and a drink, the complete meal will be around $8.29. Customers had to pay $2 to $3 more for this vegan burger. 

Secondly, McDonald’s was sourcing vegan patties from Beyond Meat, again costing them more. Also, they had to add one more grill to the kitchen for only serving McPlant burgers. So, it was all adding up to the cost. Therefore, McDonald’s decided to discontinue the burger. 

Additionally, many other items were discontinued from the McDonald’s menu. So you can check them out as well.   

Will The McPlant Ever Make A Comeback?

Currently, there is no such official statement made by McDonald’s regarding the McPlant comeback. However, there may be a chance of its comeback, and there are many reasons behind that.

The demand for plant-based food is growing in the market. According to a recent study by the Plant-based Foods Association, the plant-based food market is expected to reach $162 billion by 2030. The growth is driven by several factors, such as environmental impact and the desire to eat healthier options.

Moreover, the McPlant burger was well received by the customers. Customers like the taste of McPlant burgers, so there is a chance that McDonald’s would return the burger. 

Looking at all these reasons, McDonald’s may plan to make a comeback for the McPlant burger or maybe will come back with a newer version of it. Looking at McDonald’s history, they have discontinued many food items, but some things have returned to the menu, like the Oreo shake and the Danish cheese pastry. 

Conclusion 

The McDonald’s McPlant burger is a plant-based burger option introduced by McDonald’s in collaboration with Beyond Meat. It was designed to cater to the increasing demand for meat alternatives and to provide a vegan-friendly option on their menu. 

Throughout the blog, we explored the concept of the McPlant burger and its ingredients. We also addressed various questions surrounding the burger, including the vegan status of the cheese used and the availability of the McPlant burger in different countries.

Despite its promising introduction, we learned that the McPlant burger was discontinued in several countries due to its high price and other logistic challenges. This decision may have disappointed many plant-based eaters eager to savor this meatless alternative.

If you are looking for more information on other McDonald’s food items, such as whether McDonald’s buns are vegan or not or if McDonald’s has vegan chicken nuggets, then keep following our blog for such answers. Moreover, you can also find an answer on whether McDonald’s pancakes/hotcakes are vegan or not.

I invite you to explore our blog for comprehensive answers to your questions about McDonald’s offerings. Stay tuned for more informative content. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is McDonald’s McPlant vegan?

Yes, McDonald’s McPlant is a vegan burger.

What is McDonald’s McPlant burger made of?

The McDonald’s McPlant burger is made of a vegan patty with potatoes, peas, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mustard.

Is the McPlant healthy?

The McPlant is a healthy option as it contains fewer calories, fat, and sodium than other McDonald’s burgers, like a quarter pounder with cheese and big mac burgers. 

Is McDonald’s fries vegan?

No, McDonald’s fries are not vegan, as they have natural additives like milk and wheat. 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *