A new report card ranking the top 25 food and beverage chains in the US reveals a significant lack of progress towards plant-based menus.
McDonald’s recently made headlines when its US president announced that the McPlant, tested in two American cities, had failed and would not return. This contributes to McDonald’s poor climate progress, primarily due to its large beef consumption. However, McDonald’s is not the only chain lagging in vegan options.
A report by World Animal Protection shows that most top US chains are not making meaningful commitments to reduce their carbon-heavy menus or adopting a ‘plant-based by default’ approach, where vegan dishes are the primary options and animal products are alternatives.
The Moving the Menu 2024 scorecard evaluated the five most popular chains in five categories: burgers, chicken, sandwiches, coffee and beverages, and Latin- or Mexican-inspired. McDonald’s, KFC, Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, Subway, and Taco Bell” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>Taco Bell all received the lowest grade. Only nine companies (36%) avoided an F, and five of those got a D.
Chipotle scored the highest, followed by Peet’s Coffee and Starbucks.
“Chain restaurants play a pivotal role in the daily food decisions of many American families,” said Annette Manusevich, farming campaign manager at World Animal Protection. “Despite the urgent need for more plant-based diets and growing consumer demand for ethical and environmentally friendly food choices, most leading chains like Taco Bell and McDonald’s are failing to make the grade.”
Coffee And Latin American Companies Shine – The Rest Not So Much
Seven chains, including McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Sonic Drive-In, scored a zero (out of 220). Burger King” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>Burger King was the only burger chain not to receive an F, earning a C with a score of 65, thanks to its Impossible Whopper. Carl’s Jr/Hardee’s scored 20 but still received an F.
In the chicken category, all five chains – Popeyes, KFC, Chick-fil-A, Wingstop, and Raising Cane’s – received an F, with the latter three scoring zero.
Only Subway avoided an F in the sandwich sector, earning a D. Arby’s scored zero, while Jimmy John’s, Jerry Mike’s, and Panera all scored five. Subway made limited progress by offering select plant-based options.
Companies in the Latin American cuisine category performed better. Chipotle received a B with a score of 145 due to its vegan options, advocacy of plant-based benefits, and transparent supply chain reporting. While Del Taco got an F, Qdoba, Moe’s, and Taco Bell earned D grades for their plant-based menu items.
The coffee sector was the best performer. Peet’s scored 120 (B) for its default vegan options and supportive policies for plant-based consumption. Starbucks earned a C with a score of 90, offering plant-based beverages but needing better food options. Tim Horton’s received a D, while Dunkin’ and Dutch Bros were in the lowest tier.
Consumer trials show that with a default plant-based model, 81.5% of consumers would choose meat- and dairy-free options, reducing emissions by 24%.
‘Time for Restaurants to Step Up’
Animal agriculture accounts for up to 20% of global emissions. Meat production emits twice as many greenhouse gases as plant-based foods. Despite using 80% of the world’s agricultural land, livestock farming only provides 17% of calories and 38% of protein.
“Establishing and promoting innovative plant-based by default menus is critical for shifting our food system away from the destruction and suffering inherent in factory farming,” said Manusevich. “This moves us towards a more sustainable future.”
The report calls on food chains to position plant proteins as key to achieving climate goals and to invest in and promote plant-based by default menu options. Companies should commit to reducing animal product purchases by 25% by 2030 (from a 2020 baseline) and explore more alternative proteins like fermentation-derived and cultivated proteins.
Lastly, companies should adopt benchmarks to measure and report their progress towards sourcing and sustainability commitments annually.
“The plant-based sector presents an opportunity for restaurants to create innovative menus that resonate with customers while promoting sustainability,” the report stated. “Despite some chains testing plant-based items, few are fully investing in heavily plant-based menus. It is time for restaurants to lead the way towards a more compassionate and sustainable future in the food industry.”