July 25, 2022
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New research by meal kit comparison site Meal Delivery Experts analyzed Google searches for keywords such as “vegan options” to find which American fast food restaurant is the most popular in terms of plant-based menu options.
“As part of the American population has started to adjust its diet […] restaurants need to keep up in order to satisfy the demand for plant based”
Somewhat surprisingly, Taco Bell comes in top place with 16,600 average monthly searches. Taco Bell offers a vegan cheese sauce and like all Mexican / Tex Mex food, the menu can be easily adapted to become vegan friendly. Taco Bell has been in talks with Beyond Meat to develop permanent menu options for several months, and in the UK the chain introduced plant-based Pulled Oats by Gold & Green back in Veganuary 2021.
Secondly, McDonald’s is Googled for its plant-based options on average 8,650 times per month, likely due to consumers searching for availability of the McPlant in their area. Thirdly, Panera’s vegan options are searched for on average 8,370 times per month, followed by Starbucks in fourth place, with 7,940 then Panda Express, another chain collaborating with Beyond Meat, at 7,480.
| 1 | Taco Bell | 16,600 |
| 2 | McDonald’s | 8,650 |
| 3 | Panera | 8,370 |
| 4 | Starbucks | 7,940 |
| 5 | Panda Express | 7,480 |
| 6 | KFC | 7,100 |
| 7 | Chipotle | 6,150 |
| 8 | Burger King | 5,330 |
| 9 | Subway | 4,950 |
| 10 | Chick-Fil-A | 4,370 |
A spokesperson for Meal Delivery Experts commented: “As part of the American population has started to adjust its diet to newfound needs and wants, restaurants need to keep up in order to satisfy the demand for plant-based and vegan friendly options.
“Fast food chains are no different, as tasty vegan meals shouldn’t be only limited to fancy and expensive restaurants, but should be available for everybody, at reasonable prices without giving up on the flavor.”