Burgers are more than food in the United States—they are a cultural icon. But as consumers are giving more thought to what they eat, the question is no longer just “do you want fries with that?” but “What’s in that patty?”
Read Mercy For Animals’ Patty Battles Report to see which of the 25 largest burger chains in the U.S. are doing a job well-done—and which are missing the mark when it comes to plant-forward patties.
Mercy For Animals’ Patty Battles Report:
Scores the 25 biggest burger chains in the U.S. based on their availability and marketing of plant-based options
Raises awareness about the range of benefits of plant-forward patties on climate, personal health, and animal welfare
Brings attention to the realities of beef production including greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, animal welfare issues, and the contaminants found in some ground beef*
* Contaminants not known to be harmful to human health
Beef requires large amounts of land and water to produce and contributes significantly to a restaurant’s emissions from purchased goods and services, which typically account for 70% to 90% of a restaurant’s total carbon footprint.
Burger chains have the power to make kindness and sustainability the default option for millions of people by prioritizing plant-based options.
Top Scoring Burger Chains:
Each of the restaurants listed in this section have at least one plant-based and/or meatless burger option and demonstrate a genuine commitment to featuring sustainable and inclusive plant-based options on their menus.
Bottom Scoring Burger Chains:
Each of the restaurants listed in this section do not currently offer any plant-based and/or meatless burger options for guests, greatly reducing the inclusivity of their menus and demonstrating a lack of commitment to sustainable offerings.
McDonald’s Bottom-Tier Ranking
McDonald’s is the largest burger chain in the United States, shaping eating habits for millions of consumers. The company’s decisions impact agricultural systems on a massive scale. Despite its outsized influence on the food system, McDonald’s stands out as one of the lowest-ranked companies in our assessment. It’s time for McDonald’s to bring a new and improved plant-based option to U.S. customers.
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