Maccas’ First Veggie Burger Is Here, But It’s Not Strictly Vegetarian
www.awol.com.au
After years of waiting, vegetarians now have a McDonald’s burger to call their own. That’s right, our fast food overlords have introduced the McVeggie to Maccas menus around Australia.
There’s just one catch: it’s not strictly vegetarian.
The McVeggie includes a patty made with potato, peas, corn, carrot and onion. In Maccas tradition, the experience is augmented by iceberg lettuce, pickles and the meat-free McChicken sauce. So far, so vegetarian. “Now there truly is something for everyone at Maccas,” enthuses the McVeggie marketing copy.
The caveat to this bold new era appears in somewhat smaller type on the McDonald’s website. “While the vegetable patty is vegetarian,” the fine print reads, “it is fried using the same equipment as the tempura-coated McChicken patty, so may not be suitable for all vegetarians.”
So…not something for everyone then.
“We know there’s an appetite for alternatives to traditional meat proteins and Australians are looking for more plant-based options in their diet,” said McDonald’s chief marketing officer, Jenni Dill, in a statement to press.
As confirmation, Dill also added, “For those who are vegetarian, although there are no meat ingredients in the McVeggie burger, due to its cooking procedure, it’s not strictly vegetarian.”
The not-entirely-vego burger launched in New Zealand last year, and Twitter responded accordingly.
Amazing. McDonald’s has a new “McVeggie” burger. In relatively small text on the promo graphics for it there is a note… “Not vegetarian due to our cooking method”
So McDonald’s has launched a non-vegetarian vegetarian burger. pic.twitter.com/26v3SM0t4h
— Dylan Reeve (@DylanReeve) December 7, 2019
McDonalds’ McVeggie burger… isn’t vegetarian pic.twitter.com/kAprvbyQVZ
— (@2frost2furious) January 14, 2020
The McVeggie joins an increasingly crowded fast food field. Hungry Jack’s, Oporto and Grill’d have all introduced plant-based options to their menus. At Hungry Jack’s, you can go for the new Rebel Whopper, which substitutes Australian beef for a vegetarian patty.
So, how does the McVeggie compare to the competition? Maybe pick one up the next time you’re killing time at the airport.
(Lead Image: McVeggie / McDonald’s Australia)
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