There was never a day that any of us could imagine that fast food giant McDonald’s would trade in their signature Big Mac for veggie patties.

Oddly enough, the day is arriving sooner than we ever expected. And they just might be making fast food-chain history by doing so. Such is the case for their recently released plans to open their first vegetarian-only location in India early next year.

The non-meat restaurant will open in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar — a pilgrimage site near the Golden Temple. Already growing in the Indian market with 271 restaurants featuring a menu consisting of only 50 percent meat (chicken), with a Muslim population that does not eat pork and a Hindu population that doesn’t eat beef, the custom menu will cater to the needs of their new target.

What changes will be made to adjust to the growing needs of U.S. fast-food enthusiasts? Should McDonald’s also offer a vegetarian menu stateside that calls for healthier options without the sticker price of a trip to Whole Foods? Outside of the parfait, oatmeal and side salad, eating healthy on a fast food diet is near to impossible.

With over 15 million Americans living a vegetarian lifestyle, could the restaurateur potentially tap into a new market that might appreciate a leaner and less chemically-processed menu offering?

Often the scapegoat for rising obesity rates, unhealthy eating in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities and diabetes in children, McDonald’s has been doing much in recent years to change their image and make people feel better about eating their subpar food. They’ve even declared that each restaurant will post caloric count of menu items to help customers make healthier choices.

As a staple in many American diets, holding McDonald’s accountable for the food they serve might be a necessary evil for customers who have yet to ditch the brand for greener pastures. If McDonald’s does decide to adopt a vegetarian menu in America, would you actually be convinced to order?

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10 Comments

  1. Nope. Fries is the food at mcdonalds. bread on top of white potatoes = fat

  2. I really would appreciate if MacDonalds offered vegetarian & vegan options. My friends love to eat there especially late night, but there is literally nothing for me to get other than french fries & an apple. So if MacDonalds offered vegetarian food it would def help my social life lol

    But I think ultimately this is just further proof that just because something is vegetarian does not mean it’s healthy. To thrive your body needs whole foods, not processed ones, which are all MacDonalds will ever offer in my opinion.

    • @Cecily: You have my name (spelling and all) and now you’ve left my comment! Spooky

    • I got excited for nothing, I thought they meant here at first…. then I read the rest. Lol First day being Vegetarian and I am super hungry, but trying at least.

    • Actually, McDonald’s french fries are not vegetarian, as they contain a small amount of beef flavoring. 🙁 Wendy’s and Burger King’s are OK though.

  3. Even if they offered a wide variety of vegetarian or vegan options, I’m sure they would find a way to make it unhealthy. It’s not difficult to do, given the fact that there are just as many unhealthy non-meat options as there are healthy ones. Given McDonalds’ reputation, and the fact that even their salads and oatmeal are full of processed, non-food ingredients; I’d hate to imagine what they’d put in their veggie friendly options.

    • @Fabulous Naturalista: But I supposed even vegans and vegetarians are entitled to a bit of greasy fast food, if they choose. I just don’t want folks to be fooled into thinking that these options will be healthy or even healthier. You’d be better off putting them in the junk food category and enjoying it very sparingly, if at all.

  4. I agree with Cecily, just because it’s “vegetarian or vegan,” doesn’t make it good for you. Plenty of so-called healthy foods are still processed … not the best option. When I’m out and I get hungry I’ll go to the grocery store and get something right out of the produce section before I’d pull into a drive-thru.

  5. This kind of made me lol literally. But I appreciate the gesture. But as many already said, just because it’s vegetarian does not make it healthy. Processed food is just not good in general. And I think the masses will confuse the two.

  6. I wish they made Mcvegan sandwiches in the US. I would buy them. I also wish they had a vegan fry option.

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