Plant-Based In Fast Food - The Power of Support

I can still remember when A & W released their Beyond Meat Burger; one of the first fast food companies to bring in a popular plant-based meat for their menu. As expected, chaos ensued shortly after the release. The mayonnaise wasn't vegan and it was widely reported (and confirmed) that the plant-based patties were cooked on the same grill as their meaty counterparts. The community was naturally upset but also conflicted; do we support plant-based options that aren't perfect with the intention of demonstrating a necessity for plant-based availability?

Ultimately, the community rallied behind A & W which in turn had them release beyond meat chik'n nuggets to much avail. Although they were short lived, it's proof that by throwing your support behind these options, companies recognize that there is demand & opportunity in the plant-based market. Not long after, we saw the release of Harvey's & KFC's partnership with Lightlife, and the Impossible Whopper from Burger King. Now we've got chik'n sandwiches popping up on every menu and we're not sad about it. The power of support couldn't be more evident in this case.

It's incredible to me how far we've come in the almost 20 years I've been a vegetarian. I'll tell you, when this all started for me, it was not an easy journey. I struggled to find plant-based options at all of the restaurants I regularly frequented, and what I did find, was often uninspired and lackluster. I can't tell you how many Greek wraps I ate in the first two years of going vegetarian. Now look at us, almost every fast food joint you can think of has partnered with one of the leading plant-based brands to create unique and enjoyable options for vegans / vegetarians alike. 

At the end of the day, these companies are often still rooted in cruelty, but we must continue demonstrating a necessity and demand for plant-based options if we want to continue to see growth in that market. Our grocery stores are catching up; there's always something new to try whenever I head to the grocery store and honestly, places like Odd Burger for example, are the result of a clear demand for vegan and plant-based fast food. It's exciting to think of where we're going to be in the next ten or so years. McDonald's has even got their McPlant heading to the market; surprising considering they've been stubborn when it comes to offering anything plant-based whatsoever. (In Canada at least.)

Have you tried any of the leading fast-food plant-based options? What did you think?

HAPPY VEG