McDonald's vegan burger - in one restaurant in Finland

[Risto]

Happy Healthy Vegan: McDonald's Debuts Vegan Burger: McVegan (Youtube)

Greetings from Finland. Clicked on that video on Happy Healthy Vegan's channel and was very surprised to find that the one restaurant where McDonald's is trying this is in Tampere, Finland, of all places. It's the second-largest city in the country, quite far behind Helsinki/the capital region. It does have a large student population (including my big meat-eater nephew), which may have something to do with the experiment. Also the oldest McDonald's restaurant in Finland, if I recall correctly.

Edit: one comment from that Youtube video:

One of the reason why Finland has become vegan positive is because of a movement called sipsikaljaveganismi (chips-beer-veganism), which glorifies unhealthy vegan junk food. This has led many omnivores realizing that vegan food can be sinfully delicious, since we do love our junk food here. Thanks to this, many have switched to veganism. This movement here has also led to many vegan junk food options in stores and I guess that's why McDonald's is experimenting McVegan here. They even subtly acknowledges and persuades these chips-beer-vegans with the slogan "hampurilaislimuvegaaneille" (for hamburger-soda-vegans).

I'd never heard the term sipsikaljaveganismi, which just goes to show that I'm old.

[bbq]

Move Over McDonald's, The Future Of Fast Food Is Vegan
https://www.forbes.com/sites/katrinafox/2017/11/14/move-over-mcdonalds-the-future-of-fast-food-is-vegan/

Most customers were omnivores, that's great to know.

[colonyofcells]

I have tried the mcdonald's vegan burger when it was on trial in san francisco many years ago and it was just vegan junk food.

[viv]

Great Risto that we have our very own Finnish McDougaller who can give a first hand account! I think this is definitely a step in the right direction. I occasionally get a veggie burger no mayo from Burger King, not strictly McDougall but heh it's better than a Big Mac!

[vgpedlr]

Finland!?

Seems like there are more logical choices for such a debut. Maybe they're trying to keep it hidden?

[JeffN]

Just as an FYI, it is not McDonald's first vegan burger.

There was the McBean a few years ago and I believe their Mc Aaloo Tikki Burger was too. I think you get them with cheese and/or mayo so you have to specify but as far as I remember, these 2 patties were vegan

In Health
Jeff

[MikeyG]

Just as an FYI, it is not McDonald's first vegan burger.

There was the McBean a few years ago and I believe their Mc Aaloo Tikki Burger was too. I think you get them with cheese and/or mayo so you have to specify but as far as I remember, these 2 patties were vegan

In Health
Jeff

McBean:
https://www.mcdonalds.com/se/sv-se/product/mcbean.html

McAloo Tikki:
http://www.mcdonaldsindia.net/happy-pri ... tikki.aspx

Interesting stuff. Thanks for sharing, Jeff.

[patty]

It would be great if we could get Jeff Novick's Bean burger at McDonald's. Just saying I will hold that wish.

Aloha, patty

[f1jim]

Burger King is the only large chain offering a veggie burger. I believe it was done in collaboration with Dr. Dean Ornish. It's not ideal but it's hung around for a long time. I'm surprised none of the other chains offer a similar choice.
I had one probably 7 years ago and it was ok. Not much taste and I don't believe it was vegan as I remember looking up the ingredients when I got home and being disappointed in it's contents.
Make some of Jeff's burgers and you won't go back to these commercial offerings again. They are also served on a garbage bun, too.
I have had really good veggie burgers that were hand made in smaller venues and been pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste.
f1jim

[JeffN]

It would be great if we could get Jeff Novick's Bean burger at McDonald's. Just saying I will hold that wish.

Aloha, patty

We actually had a major food company evaluate it and the only way they would sell it is if we made it (or allowed them to make it) tastier. (i.e., salt, sugar, fat, spices, etc.)

In Health
Jeff

[Risto]

As it happens, I'm sitting in a McDonald's in Tampere thanks to an unexpected train schedule mishap. I was peed off, tired and hungry, had an hour to kill, and found myself right in front of this place, so I thought why not. Had the McVegan with fries and soda, and I have the receipt. The fake meat is actually ok, with a fairly strong smoky flavor. (My impression may be clouded by some absolutely awful fake meatballs I had for lunch - I'm apparently having a fake meat day, which may be why it's a disaster.) Otherwise the burger is nothing much to write about.