Re:McDonald's is adding plant-based burgers to the menu
by mprovost on Monday November 09, 2020 @01:17PM
(#25037745)
Once the meatless companies scale up their supply chains and production lines, they predict that they'll be cheaper than meat. So in the future the meatless option will be the "dollar menu" and you'll have to pay a premium for the real deal. Of course that also depends how the subsidies to the meat industry keep up as demand drops.
There was an article in one of the business magazines about a year ago about why so many fast food companies are adding meatless options.
It's not about health. It's not about choice. It's not about the planet. It's about money.
The menus need high-priced items and low-priced items to appeal to different types of customers. Most fast-food joints need a basic product they're known for, and a premium product that costs the consumer more and has a larger profit margin, that the average consumer might occasionally try.
The fast food companies can charge more for a meatless product, and reap bigger profits.
A little greenwashing doesn't hurt, either.