McDonald’s, a renowned fast-food chain, is making significant changes to its menu due to low customer demand for healthier options and plant-based products. Specifically, the McPlant burger, a plant-based patty offering, and all salad items will be removed from the menu. The exact date for this change has yet to be announced.
The decision to discontinue these items was made by Joe Erlinger, the US president of McDonald’s, who stated that the U.S. consumer is not showing a strong preference for plant-based proteins or the McPlant burger. This decision comes at a time when fast food chains are reevaluating their menu offerings due to decreasing demand as a result of rising prices caused by inflation.
Interestingly, 80% of Americans now consider fast food as a luxury good due to the high prices influenced by inflation, according to a recent survey. In response to this, McDonald’s has introduced a new $5 value meal that includes a McChicken or a McDouble sandwich, fries, and a drink.
McDonald’s first introduced salads to their US menu in 1987, and over the years, they have experimented with various options, such as the McSalad Shaker, which was available from 2000 to 2003. However, the low demand for salads led McDonald’s to remove them from the menu in 2019, with some franchises reintroducing the healthier items.
The McPlant was a collaboration between McDonald’s and Beyond Meat, and it was introduced in 2021 in limited restaurants to test its viability. However, it was never made a nationwide menu item due to low customer interest.
Moreover, the market for plant-based meats is also experiencing a decline. According to market research firm Mintel, the market for plant-based meats decreased by 3.6% in 2023 compared to the previous year in the U.S. This indicates a broader trend of decreasing interest in plant-based alternatives among consumers.
