Reddit Isn't Surprised About McDonald's McPlant Failure
Many McDonald's fans, both plant-based and omnivores, were excited about the McPlant's voyage over to the U.S. – only to be disappointed. Made out of a Beyond Meat Patty, the sandwich was highly anticipated as a substitute for those who wanted to enjoy one of the chain's classic burgers without the meat.
The McPlant has been available in the U.K. since the Fall of 2021 and finally made its way to the U.S. in February of 2022 (via VegOut Magazine). In addition to already having an established market across the pond, the McPlant has also been tested in previous months at select locations in Texas, Iowa, Louisiana, and California last year and the hype surrounding them was certainly high. One Engadget writer reviewed an early iteration of the sandwich and described it as tasting, "just like any McDonald's burger," which makes it a "success."
However, some users on Reddit vehemently disagreed with this review.
Redditors suggest changing the name
In a post to the subreddit, r/fastfood, one user began a threat titled "McDonald's McPlant is apparently not selling as well as expected." In this post, they simply attached a link to an article on Restaurant Business Online, in which an analyst examines why the new vegetarian burger isn't doing well. One theory is that the population in rural areas are not as open to plant-based meats as urban areas are.
Some agreed with this being a strong reason why the burger was failing to sell out in East Texas, where only three to five burgers are purchased a day. One comment, which has 344 upvotes, states "Rural areas in east Texas not being super enthusiastic about a McDonald's vegan burger is the least surprising thing I've ever heard." Another user points out, "It's not even vegan, just vegetarian. So that further cuts out a huge portion of the market for it."
Some Redditors claim perhaps it's the name that puts people off, as one user states "McPlant makes me think of a piece of lettuce in between two buns." Alternate names offered include "The Beyond Mac" and one even suggests the fast food chain missed an opportunity of calling it "the McCartney." Whether it's the name, the taste, or the fact that it's not vegan that has some turned off, one thing is clear – McDonald's needs to step up its plant game.