Mr.Charlie's wants to disrupt fast food.
The chain's mission is to make plant-based food more approachable. And it's making a name for itself in California by parodying the King of Fast Food: McDonald's.
The chain's logo is a bright yellow frown that is a clear nod to the Golden Arches. But the real poke at McDonald's is the menu at Mr.Charlie's. It serves anti-Happy Meals called "Frowny Meals" in bright red boxes. The limited menu of plant-based sandwiches includes the "BigChuck," a triple-bun sandwich made with special vegan sauce and two plant-based patties by Impossible Foods. It serves vegan nuggets and "British fries" served in a red carton sleeve.
Everything is an obvious parody of McDonald's. So much so, social media has billed Mr.Charlie's as the "Vegan McDonald's."
Mr.Charlie's declined repeated requests for comment for this story. McDonald's also didn't comment.
The media-shy Mr.Charlie's is expanding its menu this year to include breakfast. It's no shocker that the morning grub looks familiar. It features Mr.Muffin or Mr.Muffin Deluxe breakfast sandwiches that resemble Egg McMuffins.
Since opening its first location in Los Angeles early last year, Mr.Charlie's has added locations in San Francisco and Venice, California, and it recently opened a restaurant in Sydney, Australia.
I visited the new Venice location to provide BI readers with an up-close look at this disruptive fast-food brand. Here's everything you need to know about Mr.Charlie's.