Consumers Urge McDonald’s to Offer McVeggie Meals

Walk into any Burger King in the US and you can order a BK Veggie (note: this is not vegan). Subway offers an all-vegetable Veggie Delight and is starting to dish out a heartier vegan falafel sandwich in DC-area stores. Chipotle recently introduced tofu-based Sofritas, and Tropical Smoothie features a vegan chicken option for nearly everything on its menu.

Then there’s McDonald’s. Not even the French fries at this fast-food behemoth are vegetarian.

Surprisingly though, you can in fact find vegetarian “McVeggie” options at McDonald’s – in other countries. UK stores serve up a spicy veggie patty. In India, McDonald’s has opened up 100% meat-free locations. And last summer, locations throughout Canada unwrapped a new meat-free menu.

Despite the growing interest in plant-based eating here in the US, McDonald’s has yet to dish out a protein-packed meat-free option to American consumers.

That’s why Kathy Freston, author of Quantum Wellness and Veganist among other books, launched a petition on Change.org urging the company to add a healthy meatless option to its menu.

So far, nearly 100,000 people have signed it, including Peter Singer, Ellen DeGeneres, Mark Bittman, Alicia Silverstone, and Russell Simmons. And it’s garnered significant media attention including in the Wall Street Journal, and on Fox News.

According to Freston, as noted in her petition: “Adding plant-based protein options at McDonald’s will appeal to workers out for a quick lunch, families with health-conscious members out to dinner, children on field trips, and anyone looking for something different than the current menu at McDonald’s where even the French fries contain beef flavoring,”

Visit Change.org to read the full petition and to take action to help get more vegan options readily available in the mainstream marketplace.