economy
February 21, 2026
‘Doubling down on meat’: is the UK’s love affair with vegetarian food over?
McDonald’s, Wagamama and others scale back plant-based choices in the UK in favour of ‘high-margin’ meat-led dishes
TL;DR
- Major UK fast-food chains and restaurants are reducing their vegetarian and vegan offerings after a period of rapid expansion.
- Weak sales have prompted chains like McDonald's and Wagamama to cut back on plant-based options, while others like Domino's have scaled down.
- Consumer interest is shifting away from ultra-processed meat alternatives towards whole protein sources, especially chicken.
- Economic factors such as inflation, rising costs, and tight margins are influencing operators to prioritize higher-margin meat dishes.
- The trend is seen as a market correction and stabilization after a plant-based boom, influenced by factors like GLP-1 medicines and social media micro-trends.
- Despite menu cuts, some affordable plant-based options like the McPlant and Greggs vegan sausage roll remain popular, and interest in minimally processed, whole-food plant-based options is growing.
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