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McDonald’s tests plant-based burger in CanadaMcDonald’s tests plant-based burger in Canada

The “P.L.T.” sandwich will be tested in Southwestern Ontario

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

September 26, 2019

2 Min Read
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McDonald’s is finally jumping on the meatless burger bandwagon with the introduction of its first plant-based burger: The “P.L.T.,” or “Plant, Lettuce and Tomato” made with a Beyond Meat patty. The P.L.T. will be offered as part of a 12-week test in select regions in Canada.

"McDonald's has a proud legacy of fun, delicious and craveable food—and now, we're extending that to a test of a juicy, plant-based burger," said Ann Wahlgren, McDonald's Vice President of Global Menu Strategy in a press statement. "We've been working on our recipe and now we're ready to hear feedback from our customers." 

Starting Sept. 30, the P.L.T. will be available at 28 restaurants in Southwestern Ontario for $6.49 CAD.

McDonald’s had been one of the few quick-service chain holdouts that had not taken advantage of the explosive popularity of the vegan “bleeding meat” burgers that have taken the flexitarian world by storm, including the Burger King Impossible Whopper and Carl’s Jr. Beyond Meat burger.

But even though this burger is only currently available at select McDonald’s Canada locations, it might not stay north of the border for too long:

"During this test, we're excited to hear what customers love about the P.L.T. to help our global markets better understand what's best for their customers," said Wahlgren. "This test allows us to learn more about real-world implications of serving the P.L.T., including customer demand and impact on restaurant operations."

Related:5 more companies tackle plant-based meat alternatives

This is not the first major chain that has brought meatless burgers to Canada: earlier this month, Tim Hortons extended the length of its Beyond Meat breakfast sandwich offering after a positive reaction to what was supposed to be a limited time offer.

Nation’s Restaurant News has reached out to McDonald’s for more information on a further rollout.

McDonald’s has about 14,000 restaurants in the U.S.

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected] 

Follow her on Twitter: @joannafantozzi

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Tim Hortons

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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