McDonald's is testing a veggie burger made with Beyond Meat, but it isn't 100% vegan
- McDonald's is teaming up with Beyond Meat to test a plant-based burger after massive pressure from vegetarians and vegans.
- McDonald's is careful to note that the burger - which is topped with a slice of cheddar cheese - will not be 100% vegan, as the burger is cooked on the same grill as menu items.
- While some vegans avoid consuming any food that touches meat, many see McDonald's P.L.T. burger as a step in the right direction.
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McDonald's is testing a plant-based burger after massive pressure from vegetarians and vegans.
On Thursday, McDonald's announced it was teaming up with Beyond Meat to serve a new plant-based burger at 28 locations in Canada. The burger, called the P.L.T. or "Plant. Lettuce. Tomato.," will appear on menus in Southern Ontario for 12 weeks starting on September 30.
Read more: McDonald's tests meat-free Beyond Meat burger in Canada
McDonald's is careful to note that the burger - which is topped with a slice of cheddar cheese - will not be 100% vegan. The P.L.T.'s description reads: "Cooked on the same grill as other burgers, meat-based products and eggs."
As more chains add plant-based burgers to the menu, few have the kitchen space or equipment to prepare the new menu items in separate, meat-free environments. For example, many Burger King locations prepare the Impossible Whopper alongside the traditional Whopper.
Many people, including those who avoid eating meat, saw the P.L.T. and other plant-based burgers as a step in the right direction. Companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat additionally aim to address climate change by reducing global beef consumption, as cows contribute more to global greenhouse-gas emissions than cars.
However, for some vegans, even touching a meat is a dealbreaker.
Beyond Meat's shares shot up 13% in opening trading after news that McDonald's was collaborating with the plant-based "meat" maker on the P.L.T.