McDonald’s vegan McPlant burger is now available in all of its UK restaurants

The new menu item features a Beyond Meat plant-based patty, vegan cheese, vegan sauce and vegan sesame bun

McDonald’s vegan McPlant burger is now available in all branches across the UK and Ireland, the fast food giant has announced.

The nationwide rollout of the new menu item comes after a successful trial in 250 McDonald’s restaurants last year.

The McPlant, which took more than three years to develop, features a patty developed by Beyond Meat and a vegan cheese slice based on pea protein, as well as vegan sauce, vegan sesame bun, mustard, ketchup, onions, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes.

According to McDonald’s the burger has “already proved hugely successful with customers” and will be available on the high street, in retail parks and service stations.

It comes as a number of fast food restaurant chains roll out vegan offerings as part of Veganuary, a 31-day challenge that encourages people to eat only plant-based foods throughout the month of January.

Burger King has launched vegan nuggets, while KFC announced that its vegan chicken burger is making a permanent return to its menu.

The Independent tested the McPlant burger when it was released in October last year, and determined that the vegan burger had the “unmistakable Maccy D flavours”.

One of our testers said: “Having not eaten a meat McDonald’s [burger] for over 20 years, I am thrilled to be able to join the hungover burger club instead of having to settle for a lone pot of fries as a vegetarian.”

Michelle Graham-Clare, chief marketing officer at McDonald’s UK and Ireland, said: “We’re so pleased that our McPlant is now officially ‘everywhere’ and available for more of our customers to taste and enjoy.

“We saw a remarkable response to the trial period back in October and now McPlant is on the high street, in retail parks and service stations all over the UK and Ireland so all of our customers will be able to try it.”