AIBU to think that McDonalds need to up their vegan game

[Hiphopopotamus]

As a vegan the start of veganuary is always really exciting when all the new companies bring out their vegan stuff - this year seems to be particularly great - Greggs have brought the vegan steak bake, kfc have their vegan burger and McDonald’s....well they’ve taken the horrible goujon things they have in their veggie burger, sold them separately and marketed them as a new vegan meal! AIBU to think that they need to seriously up their game?

Trend or not it's been increasing popular for years now so it seems to makes sense for restaurants and supermarkets to cater for vegans and people who wish to eat less meat or animal products.

I don't eat work buffets so I can't comment on that though I used to and they were generally poor regardless of diet, but in my experience in my city(Glasgow) there's no trouble finding vegetarian options containing dairy in the vast majority of restaurants and cafes.

And bugger the vegetarians (as usual)?

Study says 600,000 vegans in the UK, and 1.2 million veggies.

Ho hum.

news.sky.com/story/ethical-veganism-is-a-philosophical-belief-tribunal-says-11900304

So anyone who says they are vegan should be doing the whole 'ethical living' thing? Definitely no McDs then.

As a meat eater there are significantly more restaurants that do cater to you, so unlike vegans you can boycott these restaurants without it impacting the already small pool of restaurants that you have on offer?

But, there actually aren’t, as I said.

And McDonalds doesn’t have a vegan option so boycotting it won’t reduce the pool of anything.

It isn't just vegans who want vegan food. Vegetarians do also eat it, at least the vegetarians I know do, and many people who meat want to cut down on meat and sometimes dairy often due to environmental reasons so they aren't just catering for the numbers of vegans.

Again I think it's fine for them to continue offering dairy based vegetarian food, I'm not saying that they shouldn't but again in my city, and I can only speak for my city which coincidentally has been voted the best UK city for vegans in the past, and which has a considerable number of vegan businesses based here, there's really very little trouble in finding those vegetarian options. Your area of course may be completely different so it may happen in your area and others but elsewhere both are accommodated.

Perhaps you should move to Glasgow. You can have as much cheese laden vegetarian goodness as you like.

@BinkyandBunty - how do you know what ethics I apply to my own sourcing of food? Or other "meat eaters".
I eat meat. I also eat plants. Accidentally I also care about how both are sourced. I also don't care about labels. There are days where I don't eat meat at all, there are days when I eat it, because I want to have a varied diet and care about where my food came from.
However, I also have the means to care about where my food came from. I can afford organic or free-range, I can afford locally sourced meat, dairy or vegetables.
My issue is that there are two faces to vegans. One of them is the happy and morally superior face of people who care about their food miles, well-being of animals and environment and dream about times when everybody sees their point and goes vegan.
The other face is that of ignorance where they don't even spend time thinking about the affordability of their sustainable and environmentally friendly dream. Because when the herds of cows, flocks of chicken and sheep were culled to make way for vegan food, they won't be replaced by beautifully organic fields of veggies and grain but hangars for fungus and soy fields to feed the every so hungry people who will not be able to afford the nice and clean veggies.
The future of the mass vegan isn't out in the fields, people, it's in factories and in the laboratories.

I've said cheese so often on this thread that it's beginning to lose all meaning.

@RollingOutOfBed - no, it doesn't. I love my cheese and wouldn't live without it.

So anyone who says they are vegan should be doing the whole 'ethical living' thing? Definitely no McDs then

No they don't have to do the "whole ethical living thing."
Yes, a lot will, and that's up to them - it's like any belief, it depends how extreme you go. There'll always be extremists, but there'll be more moderate views out there too.
What about those who want to consume less animal products, eat healthier etc?
That's a good thing surely.

It isn't just vegans who want vegan food.
Exactly, I'm not vegan but do eat vegan a lot of the time.

#vegancheeseisnotcheese

#vegancheeseisnotcheese

#NoShitSherlock

Exactly, I'm not vegan but do eat vegan a lot of the time.

So do I, I just don't call it eating vegan. That's such a bollocks, it makes my blood boil. Like once seeing a quiz on same web page: "How many times have you accidentally eaten vegan?" My answer would be simply, I don't give a shit. I don't eat plant based food on purpose or accidentally, I like my varied diet.

#NoShitSherlock
#NoneedtobesnippyWills

This is just getting silly now. No-one's listening to each other. It reminds me, yet again, how futile it is to try to have a reasonable discussion on threads like these.

OP I get what you are saying, if all vegans avoided all company’s and food outlets that also sold animal products you could barely live! Peoples lives are often hectic and sometimes even vegans have to grab food on the go so it’s good that so many company’s are providing a vegan option.

@EerieSilence your 'issue with vegans' is an issue with everyone. A small, privileged minority in either camp can afford to eat only the best, organic, locally sourced food, and have the time and stability in life to prepare it well. The rest grab whatever they like and can afford off the supermarket shelf without much thought.

You're applying a ridiculously high standard to vegans and ignoring the fact that the majority of the country consists of omnivores who are overweight because they're mostly eating processed and imported crap.

Sorry, couldn't help it, but come onnnn
I honestly don't get the scorn that vegans get.
I mean who are they harming, really?
No, vegan cheese isn't cheese.
If it's more choice for them, that's good.
(And for me, as can't eat normal cheese.)
Now if someone could invent a vegan cheese that tastes like actual cheese then that'd be grand.

Also I’m not vegan but if there is a vegan option on a menu or a vegan alternatives in the supermarket I will choose those

@EerieSilence exactly. If you’re an omnivore you aren’t “eating vegan”. You are eating omnivorously, which is what omnis do.

Not scorning vegans at all - but the choice is being made for vegetarians to opt for the vegan option (whilst the carnivores still have a full choice) and that’s not exactly fair.

No issue with vegans (only the holier than thou ‘I’m doing Veganary - now can the staff go through the whole menu and explain what I can eat?’)

Not scorning vegans at all

(only the holier than thou ‘I’m doing Veganary

See, it's that attitude I don't get.
On the one hand you say you're not scorning vegans, but in the next breath "the holier than though I'm doing Veganuary"...

Why are they "holier than thou" as they might be looking at transitioning to veganism, or cutting their animal product intake?
That's your issue, surely, not theirs. You think they're holier as they're wanting to not eat meat/eat less meat?
They more than likely don't give a shit what you're eating, so why should you about what they are?

@CactusAndCacti It's considered by who? Is there any evidence that McD are any worse than anyone else?

@EerieSilence why the hatred? Why must you uphold vegans to all of these incredibly high standards that are actually only in your mind?

Honestly, people like you who spout such vitriol are quite incredible and responsible for a lot of the vegan untruths that are out there.

We just don't want to eat meat or animal products. We don't want to participate in the dairy industry. We do want to think about our diet choices and to consider the food that we put on our body. And we would like the right to an occasional across the counter, junk food treat.

We are just normal people!

A lot of what you are saying is ridiculous and outdated, and you are starting to come across as a slightly unhinged stuck record now.

It's just food...

Have a (plantbased) biscuit