McDonald’s Is Trialling A Vegan Burger, This Is Not A Drill

Hitting up McDonald’s after a night out is pretty much a no-go for vegans, but all that could be set to change.

The fast food chain has announced it’s trialling a new vegan burger, made with a soy-based patty.

The aptly named ‘McVegan’ is also cheese-free and contains a specially blended ‘Vegan McFeast’ sauce that’s free of animal by-products.

The burger is topped with fresh tomato, salad and pickles and comes with vegan fries.

The bad news is the McVegan is currently only available in Tampere, Finland, where McDonald’s is testing the popularity of the product.

What’s more, the burger will only be on the menu for a few weeks, from 4 October to 21 November.

Nevertheless, vegan campaigners have praised the move as an important step in the right direction for making vegan food accessible.

Dominika Piasecka, spokesperson for The Vegan Society, told HuffPost UK: “McDonald’s is probably the last company you’d expect to cater for vegans, but their vegan burger trial shows just how much the movement has grown along with the demand for plant-based food.

“The new vegan burger is a convenient and easily accessible option for those avoiding animal products to eat on a night out with friends, and we would like to see it rolled out in more countries.”

For now, you’ll have to book a holiday to try the burger. But with more than half a million people in the UK now following a vegan diet, we wouldn’t be surprised to the McVegan making it’s way here in the not-too-distant future.

8 Celebrities On The Benefits Of A Vegan Diet

Miley Cyrus(01 of08)

Since singer Miley Cyrus adopted a vegan lifestyle she's been vocal about her new choices on social media - including how she sources vegan "leather" for performing.

In one post she said: "So many good plants/fruits/veggies to eat you ain’t gotta eat dead animals!

"Everything that goes into my body is alive! To keep ME alive! Love this life!” (credit:Ethan Miller via Getty Images)

Liam Hemsworth(02 of08)

Liam Hemsworth said he often receives questions like "how do you get protein?" since becoming vegan, but he's never felt better.

"Most of the people who ask you this are not healthy people. It always makes me so confused, because I’m like, 'what are you eating? Whatever you’re eating, it’s not right,'" he told Men's Health.

"But there are no negatives to eating like this. I feel nothing but positive, mentally and physically. I love it.

"I feel like it also has a kind of a domino effect on the rest of my life." (credit:Cindy Ord via Getty Images)

Lea Michelle(03 of08)

Lea Michelle has become an ambassador for animal rights organisation Peta since becoming vegan.

In a video on the charity's website, she says: "It's about being healthy and being smart and doing good for your body while at the same time being kind and smart to animals." (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Mike Tyson(04 of08)

Mike Tyson turned vegan in 2010 and has lost weight as a result.

"Becoming a vegan gave me another opportunity to live a healthy life," he said on “Oprah: Where Are They now?”.

"I was so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine, I could hardly breathe, [I had] high blood pressure, [was] almost dying [and had] arthritis. And once I became a vegan all that stuff diminished." (credit:Gabe Ginsberg via Getty Images)

Ellen DeGeneres(05 of08)

Speaking after becoming vegan, Ellen DeGeneres said there's "many reasons" to change your habits.

"I'm healthier for it, I'm happier for it," she said.

"I really truly believe that we take in energy and our thoughts are important... I can't imagine that if you're putting something inside your body that's filled with pain, anxiety and fear, that that isn't somehow going to be inside of you." (credit:Anthony Harvey via Getty Images)

Bill Clinton(06 of08)

Former president Bill Clinton adopted a vegan diet in 2010.

“I like the vegetables, the fruits, the beans, the stuff I eat now,” Clinton told a CNN reporter.

“All my blood tests are good, and my vital signs are good, and I feel good, and I also have, believe it or not, more energy.” (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Natalie Portman(07 of08)

In a blog on The Huffington Post, actress Natalie Portman said her research into veganism has shown the lifestyle is better for people in manufacturing, as well as animals.

"The human cost of factory farming - both the compromised welfare of slaughterhouse workers and, even more, the environmental effects of the mass production of animals - is staggering," she said. (credit:Brent N. Clarke via Getty Images)

Ariane Grande(08 of08)

Ariane Grande became vegan in 2013 and explained her decision to The Mirror, saying: "I love animals more than I love most people, not kidding. But I am a firm believer in eating a full plant-based, whole food diet that can expand your life length and make you an all-around happier person." (credit:Christopher Polk via Getty Images)