McDonald's McPlant Burger Arrives, But You Probably Can't Get It Yet

McDonald's is one of the latest fast food companies to introduce a plant-based burger alternative to traditional beef patties. Called the 'McPlant,' this new burger was first announced in November 2020; we now know that the plant-based patty comes in partnership with Beyond Meat. Fast-forward a few months and you can now buy the McPlant — but only if you live in certain test markets.

The McPlant burger is, as its name suggests, made with a veggie patty; McDonald's says the product has the same kind of flavor you'd expect from one of its burgers, including careful attention to the texture and 'chewing resistance.' The company says the new burger is for people who want to eat 'flexitarily.'

The McPlant is now available to purchase in Sweden and Denmark, two test markets that may shape the future of the product when it rolls out in other places. It's not surprising that McDonald's chose these two countries as its test markets — Sweden, for example, has been selling a McVegan sandwich for years and vegan products aren't unusual in grocery stores.

Note that while the McPlant sandwich comes with a plant-based patty, those patties are grilled alongside beef patties, meaning it isn't a vegan product. The plant burger comes with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles, as well as mayo, ketchup, and mustard.

The patty developed for the McPlant is primarily based on pea protein, as well as a lesser amount of rice protein. If you happen to be in Sweden or Denmark, you can order the McPlant until March 15 and April 12, respectively. It's unclear when the sandwich will arrive in other markets, but McDonald's told Bloomberg that it is ready to deploy the product in other regions.