In the UK, McDonald’s has introduced a vegan burger called the McPlant, which is made from pea and rice proteins. While trials of the McPlant were not successful in the US, it is available in other countries such as Germany, Portugal, and the UK. The burger is certified as vegan and served with vegan cheese and sandwich sauce.
However, the availability and composition of the McPlant burger differ in different countries. In Germany, for instance, there may be potential contamination with meat due to the burger being described as “for flexitarians.” On the other hand, in Portugal, the burger is made entirely from plant-based ingredients.
I sampled both the McPlant and its most comparable non-vegan option, the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, from a McDonald’s in London. Both burgers came with standard toppings such as onion, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. The McPlant also included lettuce, tomato, and vegan sandwich sauce while the Quarter Pounder with Cheese had two slices of processed cheese. Notably, while both burgers melted their respective cheeses while cooking over an open flame on a grill top inside a kitchen. However, only one slice of cheese melted properly; that was from Quarter Pounder with Cheese while another slice remained hard like rubber despite being cooked at high temperature for some time.
In conclusion, while availability and composition of McPlant vary by location worldwide; however it remains popular among customers who prefer plant-based options without compromising taste or quality.