McDonald’s has given up on its attempt to sell meatless burgers in the United States.
US President Joe Erlinger said the McPlant was abandoned because customers did not want fake meat.
The chain had been testing the McPlant at several hundred restaurants in California and Texas since testing began in late 2021.
Developed with Beyond Meat, it was made from pea and rice proteins.
Although it was a failure in the United States, it was a success in the United Kingdom, Germany, Holland and Portugal.
McPlant is made with a plant-based patty developed in collaboration with Beyond Meat. It has now been discontinued in the US.
But there is little chance of returning to the United States.
McDonald’s is now shifting its focus to chicken, which has become more popular with its customers than beef, in part because of its lower cost.
Salads, which were removed from American menus at the start of the pandemic, also won’t be returning, Erlinger said.
Those who want salads go to specialty chain restaurants such as Chopt, Sweetgreen and Cava.
“If people really want McDonald’s salads, we’ll gladly relaunch the salads,” Erlinger said at the World Food Forum, according to Bloomberg.
“But what our experience has shown is that this is not what the consumer is looking for.”
It’s the second major menu news story in a week, the other being the return of an item with a cult following.
The McRib — boneless, seasoned pulled pork smothered in spicy barbecue sauce and topped with diced onions and pickles — is coming back to the U.S. later this year.
The sandwich, which has been removed and then added back to the menu dozens of times over the years, polarizes fast food fans: Some love it, but others hate it.
McDonald’s knows the McRib draws customers to its restaurants and drive-thru locations.
Its return will be its latest weapon, along with its $5 meal deal this summer, in the battle to win back customers in 2024.
“The return of the McRib for a limited time will boost interest and foot traffic to McDonald’s at a time when performance is declining,” retail expert Neil Saunders, chief executive of Global Data, told DailyMail.com.
But he explained why McDonald’s is only selling it for a limited time, rather than having it as a permanent menu item.
“The improvement is usually only temporary, so the chain still has work to do in areas such as pricing if it wants to ensure improved performance,” he added.
The McRib, which has been described as the “fast food sandwich that went viral before viral was a thing,” debuted nationwide in the U.S. in 1982.
It was discontinued in 1985 due to poor sales, but then returned in 1989 and was widely available in the US and other countries until 2005.
It was then periodically reintroduced until it disappeared again in 2012 for eight years. It did not return until December 2020, when it returned for a limited time.
The McRib sandwich will be available again in 2024. It was first sold in 1982.
Fans rejoiced when the McRib returned in 2020 for the first time in eight years
Bagel fans have been posting memes about McDonald’s bagels.
At the time, it was an attempt to lure back customers after the pandemic left their dining rooms sparsely populated or closed.
Another article also returned earlier this year. In April, we reported how McDonald’s had brought bagels back to its breakfast menu.
Bagels aren’t yet available nationwide, but they’re present in at least 1,200 restaurants and could return to all 14,300 U.S. locations by the end of this year.
Bagels were first introduced at McDonald’s in late 2019 but were removed shortly after when bosses simplified the menu in spring 2020 during the pandemic.
