Vegetarians, vegans and healthy eaters are making their voices heard—and they want a McVeggie.
More than 87,000 people have signed a Change.org petition for a “ healthy, meatless option ” at McDonald’s. The online petition, started by health and wellness activist and author Kathy Freston, has caught the eye of some high profile celebrities, including Ellen DeGeneres, Pamela Anderson and Alicia Silverstone.
“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,” Freston says in the petition.
You could help encourage @McDonalds to add a veggie burger to the menu at @Change. http://t.co/IgSC7tGMFP
This isn’t the first time that vegetarians’ demands have forced the restaurant industry, including fast-food chains, to adjust their offerings. Burger King already offers a MorningStar Farms veggie burger and Chipotle has been testing out tofu sofiritas in select markets around the U.S.
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McDonald’s past ventures into vegetarian fast food haven’t been the success the company was hoping for. Salads only make up 2 to 3 percent of McDonald’s sales, according . And, when McDonald’s previously launched a veggie options in the early 2000s, the McVeggie didn’t stay on the menu for long.
Will McDonald’s listen to the thousands signing this petition and make a McVeggie that works with their menu? McDonald’s Canada already has vegetarian wraps, while India is home to fully vegetarian McDonald’s restaurants. If vegetarians are getting what they want at McDonald’s internationally, as demand grows for the McVeggie in the U.S., the burger chain may have to follow suit.
Related: How McDonald's Defines 'Sustainable' Beef Will Impact the Entire Industry
