McDonalds is joining the trend of plant-based proteins in the fast food game, but its test will take place in the Great White North and appears to be a new twist on an old favorite. Forget about a Qdoba burrito bowl with plant-based ground beef replacement or a vegan chorizo from Blaze Pizza, McDonalds is partnering with Beyond Meat to make the P.L.T — plant-lettuce-tomato.
The fast food giant announced on Thursday its own plant-based burger alternative will test in Canadian markets, with 28 markets in Southwestern Ontario. That distinction is interesting — Southwestern implies more London and Guelph more than the more-populous metro areas like Ottawa and Toronto — but it means McDonalds’ plant-based burger alternative will be very close to the continental United States.
This appears to be different from the Big Vegan, which appeared in Germany and was made with McDonalds’ own proprietary plant-based meat patty. According to a McDonalds release, the Beyond-based patty served in Canadian test markets will be on the menu for 12 weeks. Beyond has previously partnered with fast food companies like Dunkin for a breakfast sandwich and Subway for a meatball sub alternative. And while this is basically a burger, the branding is pretty distinct here.
According to CBS MarketWatch, McDonalds stock saw a bump on the announcement. But some strict vegans might be disappointed by some other aspects of the news, including the how it’s made and what else comes on the P.L.T.
A McDonald’s spokesperson told MarketWatch that guests will be able to customize their P.L.T.s, by requesting to hold the cheese and mayo, or any ingredients. “[H]owever, the patty will be cooked on the same grill as other burgers, meat-based products and eggs,” a spokesperson said.
There’s no word on whether the P.L.T will officially make it to American markets just yet, but for many near the Great Lakes it’s officially a road trip — and $6.49 plus tax — away starting on September 30.
