Moving
the Menu
Grading Your Favorite Restaurants
What is “Plant-Based by Default”?
"Plant-based by default” refers to offering plant-based dishes as the primary or default option, with animal-based products presented as alternatives.
By the Numbers
We Ranked
25
Popular Restaurants
across five categories spanning different types of cuisine.
Of the 25 restaurants, only
4 of them scored C or above
on our A-F grade ranking system. Most restaurants received an F.
In university dining hall studies,
81%
of students chose plant-based
entrées when they were available as the default option.
Falling Behind
Many restaurants evaluated in this report have conducted successful trials of plant-based options but later discontinued them.
Notably, McDonald's trialed the "McPlant," KFC tested the Beyond Chicken Sandwich, and Taco Bell introduced an all-vegan Crunchwrap Supreme and nacho cheese.
Categories
We’ve ranked the top five restaurants in each of these categories.
Burger Breakdown
No restaurants in this category earned an A or B grade.
McDonald’s shows little to no progress in offering plant-based options or meat reduction commitments.
GRADE:
Wendy’s shows little to no progress in offering plant-based options or meat reduction commitments.
GRADE:
Carl’s Jr. shows little to no progress in offering plant-based options or meat reduction commitments.
GRADE:
Sonic shows little to no progress in offering plant-based options or meat reduction commitments.
GRADE:
Burger King made some progress with the Impossible Whopper, but has significant room for improvement.
GRADE:
Chicken Check
All restaurants in this category earned an F grade. This signals an opportunity for companies to align with evolving consumer preferences and promote sustainability in their operations.
Despite its Beyond Chicken trial, KFC shows little progress in plant-based options or meat reduction commitments.
GRADE:
Raising Cane’s shows little to no progress in offering plant-based options or meat reduction commitments.
GRADE:
Wingstop shows little to no progress in offering plant-based options or meat reduction commitments.
GRADE:
Popeyes shows little to no progress in offering plant-based options or meat reduction commitments.
GRADE:
Chick-fil-A shows little to no progress in offering plant-based options or meat reduction commitments.
GRADE:
Coffee Critique
No restaurants in this category earned an A grade.
Earning a C for its beverage variety, Starbucks lacks plant-based food options and must adopt a meat reduction policy.
GRADE:
Peet’s stands out with its plant-based by default food & drink menu items, plus policies supporting plant-based offerings.
GRADE:
Dunkin’ fails to show progress in adding plant-based menu items or adopting policies advocating for plant-based diets.
GRADE:
Tim Horton’s D grade reflects their limited plant-based options and minimal plant-based support from parent company, RBI.
GRADE:
Dutch Bros fails to show progress in adding plant-based menu items or policies advocating for plant-based diets.
GRADE:
Sandwich Scrutiny
No restaurant in this category earned above a D. This signals an opportunity for companies to align with evolving consumer preferences and promote sustainability in their operations.
Subway earns a D
for offering some plant-based items,
but has not committed to promoting plant-based products.
GRADE:
Panera made little to no progress in embracing plant-based by default options or making sustainability commitments.
GRADE:
Jimmy John’s made little to no progress in embracing plant-based by default options or making sustainability commitments.
GRADE:
Jersey Mike’s made little to no progress in embracing plant-based by default options or making sustainability commitments.
GRADE:
Arby’s made little to
no progress in embracing plant-based by default options or making sustainability commitments.
GRADE:
While Taco Bell uses plant-based language and many items can be easily modified, it lacks plant-based by default options.
GRADE:
Mexican-Inspired Matchup
No restaurants in this category earned an A grade.
Moe’s earns a D due to some plant-based options, but has room for improvement in meat-reduction.
GRADE:
Qdoba earns a D due to some plant-based options, but has room for improvement in meat reduction.
GRADE:
Del Taco shows little to no progress in offering plant-based options or meat reduction commitments.
GRADE:
Chipotle stands out for its selection of plant-based by default options, advocacy, and transparent reporting.
GRADE:
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did some restaurants that seem to offer many vegan options (hey, Taco Bell) score so poorly?
Some restaurants may offer many customizable vegan options, but scored poorly because they lacked fully plant-based by default menu items (which our report emphasizes). These restaurants also often do not have strong public commitments or policies advocating for reduced meat consumption, which is critical to improving their overall score.
Why plant-based by default?
- For restaurants: plant-based by default helps restaurants meet growing consumer demand for sustainable and humane food choices.
- For consumers: plant-based by default provides healthier and more ethical dining choices.
- For the environment: plant-based by default reduces greenhouse gas emissions, water and land use, and biodiversity loss.
What happens if we don’t lower meat production and consumption?
In short? More greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, water pollution, and loss of biodiversity. Antibiotics overused in factory farming also accelerate antibiotic-resistant superbugs threatening human health. Reducing meat consumption and shifting to plant-based diets is essential to protecting animals, the planet, and our health.
Get Involved
You can do your part by:
- Choosing plant-based options when dining out;
- Supporting restaurants that prioritize plant-based menus;
- Advocating for more plant-based by default options via feedback forms and social media;
- Encourage your family and friends to do the same!
About the Report
Explore our full report to view detailed restaurant ranking information and to view our scoring approach and methodology.
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