# Meat-Free Fast Food Burgers The McDonald's P.L.T. is a Plant-Based Burger Made with Beyond Meat By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2019-09-26 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-plt References: [prnewswire](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mcdonalds-tests-new-plant-based-burger-in-canada-300925728.html) & [mcdonalds](http://www.mcdonalds.ca/plt) This month, the [McDonald's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-mcplant) P.L.T. (Plant. Lettuce. Tomato.) is being introduced with a 12-week test, enhancing the chain's fast food menu with an all-new plant-based burger. The burger features a meatless Beyond Meat patty that was made exclusively for McDonald's so that customers will have a familiar experience. The plant-based P.L.T. is served on a sesame seed bun and contains no artificial colors, artificial flavors or artificial preservatives. For a limited time, the McDonald's P.L.T. is being introduced to 28 restaurants in Southwestern Ontario so that feedback can be collected from customers on how to better serve its global market. While McDonald's does have vegetarian-friendly options, other [plant-based burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/plant-based-whopper) have only been introduced to select markets, making the P.L.T. an option that many will likely be eager to try. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.0/10 - Popularity: 61% | Activity: 80% | Freshness: 9% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Plant-based Burgers:** The rise of plant-based burgers presents an opportunity for food companies to cater to the growing demand for sustainable and meat-free options. - **Fast Food Innovation:** Fast food chains like McDonald's can embrace plant-based options as a way to stay competitive and attract a wider consumer base. - **Customer Feedback Testing:** Conducting limited-time tests like the McDonald's P.L.T. allows companies to gather valuable feedback and make necessary improvements before expanding to a global market. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Food and Beverage:** The food and beverage industry can capitalize on the plant-based burger trend by developing and marketing innovative, meat-free products. - **Fast Food Chains:** Fast food chains have a disruptive innovation opportunity by incorporating plant-based burgers into their menus to meet the demands of an increasingly health-conscious consumer base. - **Product Testing and Research:** Companies that specialize in product testing and research can assist fast food chains like McDonald's in analyzing customer feedback and optimizing plant-based burger offerings. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Delicious QSR Veggie Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcveggie.md) - [House-Made QSR Veggie Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aw-plantbased-burger.md) - [Sweet Potato-Based Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcyam.md) - [Salad-Style QSR Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-salad-burger.md) - [BLT-Style Cheeseburgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smoky-blt-quarter-pounder-with-cheese.md) - [Limited-Edition Meatless Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/chikn-parm.md) - [Collaborative Plant-Based Nuggets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcplant-nuggets.md) - [Faux Meat Chicken Sandwiches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crispy-chikn-sandwich.md) - [Savory QSR Jackfruit Burgers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mcdonalds-meatless-mckroket.md)