McDonald’s launches their all-new vegetarian-friendly burger

Back in 2011, Macca's said there wasn’t a demand for this kind of burger. Fast-forward to 2020 and a lot has changed in the foodie world.

The vegetarians among us – constantly relegated to only eating fries on their Friday night Macca’s run – can finally rejoice.

McDonald’s has today launched the McVeggie Burger.

And the best part? It’ll be available nationwide and is a permanent addition to the fast-food giant’s menu, meaning you can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the rest of your life.

The McVeggie is the first vegetable-based burger to be available at McDonald’s restaurants in Australia, after an April 2019 trial of the McVeggie in South Australia.

RELATED: Big Mac sauce recipe revealed

The McVeggie Burger arrives in all McDonald's restaurants today. Picture: Supplied

Australia’s demand for a vegetarian-friendly burger began long before that, though. From the moment McDonald’s in Singapore rolled out the burger in 2016, health-conscious Aussies hoped for it to land on menus across the country.

While Australia did have it on the menu for some time, there wasn’t enough love to keep it there permanently.

In 2020 though, attitudes have changed, according to McDonald’s Australia chief marketing officer Jenni Dill.

“We know there’s an appetite for alternatives to traditional meat proteins and Australians are looking for more plant-based options in their diet,” Ms Dill said.

McDonald’s is officially trialling a McVeggie burger in South Australia and I’m McLosing my mind pic.twitter.com/LHJRxyZDRJ

— Madeleine Dunne (@MadeleineDunne) April 18, 2019

“As a business constantly focused on responding to what Australians want, we’re excited to now be serving up the McVeggie Burger to our customers across the country.”

Sandwiched between a sesame seed bun is a crunchy patty made from potatoes, peas, corn, carrot and onion. It’s paired with cheese, lettuce, herbs and spices, mayonnaise and, of course, McDonald’s iconic pickles.

While there are no meat ingredients in the McVeggie Burger, Ms Dill warned that due to the burger’s cooking procedure, it’s not strictly vegetarian.

It’s a burger that sounds tasty enough even the most diehard Quarter Pounder eaters would give it a try.

McDonald's has introduced a vegan burger to 270 outlets across Scandinavia.

The chain may have now given vegie lovers what they want, but vegans are still waiting for their meat and animal product-free options to find a spot on the chain’s menu.

In March last year, McDonald’s introduced vegan “chicken” nuggets to its menu in Norway, and Aussies want in too.

Taking to Twitter, fans begged Macca’s to roll out the creation – chickpeas, onions, carrots and corn coated in crispy breadcrumbs – to everyone.

“Those look SO good,” one person posted.

“Bring us the vegan nuggets,” another said.

Currently, McDonald’s vegan menu is limited to french fries and hash browns.

Originally published as McDonald’s launches their all-new vegetarian-friendly burger