McDonald’s McPlant burger is finally arriving in the U.S.
The fast food giant announced on Thursday that it will be testing out its McPlant burger in eight select restaurants across the country for a limited time starting November 3rd while supplies. Cities with test locations include El Segundo and Manhattan Beach, California; Cedar Falls, Iowa; Jennings and Lake Charles, Louisiana; and Irving and Carrollton, Texas.
Co-developed with Beyond Meat, the McPlant features a patty made from plant-based ingredients like peas, rice, and potatoes. While the patty itself is meatless, it is cooked on the same grill used for meat products and eggs. The patty is served on a sesame seed bun with tomato, lettuce, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard, as well as non-plant-based ingredients such as American cheese and mayonnaise. But as always, guests can customize and request to hold the cheese and mayonnaise for a healthier version.
McDonald’s first announced that it would launch a McPlant line, which could eventually include plant-based chicken and breakfast sandwiches, during an investor update last November. Over the past year, the restaurant chain has already tested out the McPlant burger in a number of European markets, including Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Austria.
Just last month, a fully vegan version of the McPlant, complete with plant-based cheese and a plant-based sauce, was also introduced in the U.K. and Ireland.
McDonald’s is one of the last fast food chains in the country to add a plant-based burger to its menu. For instance, Burger King introduced its Impossible Whopper ― a plant-based patty from Beyond Meat’s rival Impossible Foods ― at all of its U.S. locations in one huge rollout back in 2019. Wendy’s, meanwhile, began testing out its new Spicy Black Bean Burger in three U.S. cities last June. Other fast food chains that have offered plant-based burgers include White Castle, Dunkin’, and Panda Express.