McDonald’s McPlant Burger Faces Consumer Resistance After Initial Hype

Five years after its eagerly awaited launch, McDonald’s McPlant burger created in collaboration with Beyond Meat is struggling to find favor among consumers. Despite initial enthusiasm, many locations have reported disappointing sales, leading to its removal from several menus worldwide.

McDonald’s Austria has become the latest country to discontinue the McPlant burger, attributing its removal to lackluster sales figures.

The McPlant was first introduced in the United States in 2021 and saw rapid expansion, reaching 600 locations by 2022. The burger features a plant-based patty made from peas, rice, potatoes, and beetroot.

Despite the high hopes surrounding its launch, early media reports suggested that some US locations were selling as few as three McPlant burgers per day, raising concerns about consumer interest.

Internationally, the McPlant also made its debut in Australia, with the burger offered at 270 restaurants across Victoria. However, after a brief “limited trial,” it was quietly removed from local menus the same year.

In a similar pattern, McDonald’s Australia had previously pulled its original McVeggie burger from the menu just two years after its introduction.

In July 2022, McDonald’s US officially announced the decision to discontinue the McPlant in its vast network, highlighting a lack of consumer demand. Joe Erlinger, head of McDonald’s US operations, remarked at a business conference, “I don’t think the US consumer is coming to McDonald’s or looking for McPlant or other plant-based proteins from McDonald’s right now.”

In response to the declining popularity of the McPlant, McDonald’s Austria has stated it is exploring the option of introducing a new vegetable-based patty to replace the non-meat burger.

Despite the challenges faced by the McPlant in several markets, it continues to be available in select locations within international markets such as the UK, Ireland, and Germany.