Sales of This New Burger at McDonald's Have Been Underwhelming, Says Expert
Vegetarians may have to continue avoiding McDonald's in the United States—at least for now.
After disappointing sales during test runs, the McPlant burger will likely not have its chance to shine on national menus this year, a BTIG analyst says.
Surprising? Perhaps not. A note from BTGI's Peter Saleh says the McPlant burger—which launched in small markets in the United States, as well as Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Austria, and the U.K. since its introduction in 2020—is not garnishing the fame lavished upon the McRib, the Egg McMuffin, or the crispy chicken sandwich during their first debut.
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On average, only about 13 McPlant burgers ($5.49 each, compared with the $4.69 Big Mac in that market) were ordered daily in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (the goal was 40 to 60), while sales in San Francisco fell in the low end of the 125-300 sandwiches per week prediction.
"Demand was practically non-existent in more rural East Texas at a few sandwiches per day," Saleh wrote in the report.
While it did well in early testing, with sales of 70 per day in eight locations, the plant-based burger hasn't lived up to expectations, especially outside urban areas.
The McPlant is made with Beyond Meat and consists of a bun (most likely cooked on the same griddle as the regular meat burgers), cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, and mayo sauce.
Still, plant-based options are far from totally written off at Mickey D's, and customers can always hop over the pond if they're craving a McPlant or head to rival Burger King, the home of the Impossible Whopper (the patty is cooked on the same broiler as its beef counterparts).
Editor's Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that McDonald's will be launching a vegan version of the McPlant in the United States.
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