Red Rooster, Oporto announce menu change amid vegetable crisis

More fast-food restaurants have announced menu changes amid Australian food shortages – but one popular chain hasn’t been affected.

Two more fast-food chains have been forced to make changes to menus amid the rising costs of vegetables in Australia – but there’s one popular restaurant that hasn’t been affected.

Red Rooster and Oporto told news.com.au that due to nationwide lettuce shortages both restaurants are “temporarily using a blend of lettuce and cabbage in some menu items”.

The dramatic move comes after Subway and KFC made similar changes after recent flooding events in Queensland and NSW saw prices of lettuces soar, hitting as high as $12 a head.

However McDonald’s Australia has confirmed it is currently unaffected by the spiralling lettuce disaster, telling news.com.au: “We’re working closely with our suppliers to continue to serve up our full menu to customers.”

Oporto and Red Rooster have confirmed the move to a ‘lettuce and cabbage blend’ amid the spiralling vegetable crisis in Australia. Picture: Supplied

Red Rooster alerted consumers to the menu change with a humorous post on Instagram on Thursday night that has been met with a mixed response.

“The boss just called to lettuce know...” a series of photos of reads.

“Due to the recent floods there is a shortage of the leafy stuff.

“As a result we are temporarily using a blend of lettuce and cabbage until further notice.”

Red Rooster finished by captioning the announcement: “We never slaw this coming.”

Recent floods in Queensland and NSW have seen prices of lettuces soar, hitting as high as $12 a head, as availability drops. Picture: Red Rooster

But McDonald’s Australia has confirmed it is not making any changes to its menu at the moment. Picture: Supplied

While many of the chicken giant’s 22,400 followers saw the funny side, joining in with their own puns in the comments sections, others were outraged.

“There’s no shortage here they just cost $12 each!!!!” one user, who doesn’t appear to understand the situation, wrote.

“Cringe, it’s not like you can’t get lettuce,” another raged.

Not everyone was angry though, with some making light of the spiralling situation, including this cracker: “COS it can’t get any worse.”

Others even urged Red Rooster to “keep the cabbage permanently”.

KFC was the first fast-food outlet to announce a change to its menu in response to the vegetable crisis. Picture: Supplied

Subway followed suit shortly after. Picture: Supplied

Many KFC fans were also left frustrated by the recent decision to move to the cabbage and lettuce blend, with some labelling it “a weird choice”.

“The fact that you are replacing lettuce with cabbage makes me rethink my whole meal at KFC. There’s four or five other things I would eat before cabbage. Its such a weird choice,” one person tweeted.

“Feels like a sign of the apocalypse,” said another.

“Let them eat cabbage” is the new leaf-motive for a healthy KFC Australia menu😄

— Birender Dhanoa (@bsdhanoa) June 7, 2022

Subway subsequently followed suit, becoming the second fast food chain to make the major change to its famous sandwiches.

Officially, the menu changes are “temporary”, but experts have warned the veggie shortage – that is also currently affecting capsicums and spinach – could continue for at least the next three months.

Bill Bulmer, Victorian lettuce grower and chair of the industry body for the Australian vegetable producers, AUSVEG, told 3AW another vegetable would also be added to the list of veggies in short supply soon.

“Then, probably, the looming shortage coming into spring is going to be onions,” he said on Tuesday.

Just like we have seen with lettuce, a shortage of onions is set to send prices for the vegetable soaring.

Onions could be the next to see prices rise. Picture: Supplied

Supermarket giant Woolworths has also advised customers it is experiencing a slight disruption to some other vegetables including Lebanese cucumbers, kale, fresh herbs, zucchini, beans, tomatoes, capsicum, berries, broccoli and spinach.

Mr Bulmer explained that the devastating floods in Queensland was the main driver of these shortages, wiping out about 80 per cent of lettuce crops.

“We have been pounded by La Nina in the last 12 months. The major growing region of Australia for lettuce this time of year is out of Brisbane in the Gatton region and they have been impacted by floods in February as well as in May,” he told the radio station.

“In normal times you would probably see lettuce from $1.50 to $2.50 in the supermarket right now.”

The AUSVEG chair said he wouldn’t even bother buying a lettuce in the supermarket at the moment because of how much prices have risen.

“I have heard prices anywhere from $10 to $12. That is a supply and demand issue,” he said.

“There are pockets of lettuces here and there across Australia but, as I said, the bulk comes out of the Gatton region this time of the year.

“People who want them are paying for them.”