Plant-Based Fast Food in 2025: Which Chains Are Expanding and Which Pulled Back

The plant-based fast food landscape in 2025 looks dramatically different from the hype-fueled frenzy of 2019, when it seemed like every chain was racing to slap a Beyond or Impossible patty on the menu. Six years later, the dust has settled, and the picture is more nuanced — some chains are doubling down on plant-based options while others have quietly let their offerings vanish from the menu board.

Let's start with who's expanding. Chipotle has been one of the steadiest players in this space, rolling out its plant-based chorizo as a permanent menu item across all U.S. locations in early 2025 after multiple successful test runs. Taco Bell, meanwhile, continues to lean into its reputation as the accidentally plant-friendly chain, adding a dedicated "Veggie Cravings" section to its app and testing new bean-and-rice-based items in over 500 locations. Subway has also moved forward, expanding its plant-based protein options to more international markets after seeing strong demand in Europe and Asia. And Panda Express made waves by bringing back its Beyond Orange Chicken — this time as a permanent nationwide option.

On the pullback side, the story is equally telling. McDonald's never fully committed to the McPlant in the U.S. after its limited 2022 test, and in 2025 the chain has shown zero signs of reviving it stateside, even as the McPlant thrives in the UK and parts of Europe. Dunkin' dropped its Beyond Sausage breakfast sandwich from most locations. And perhaps most notably, Burger King — once the poster child for mainstream plant-based fast food with the Impossible Whopper — has scaled back its marketing of the product significantly, though it remains technically available at most locations. The sizzle is gone, even if the sandwich isn't.

What's driving these divergent strategies? It comes down to who each chain is trying to reach. The brands succeeding with plant-based menus in 2025 are the ones treating these items as part of a broader flavor story, not a separate "health" category. Chipotle's plant-based chorizo sells because it tastes good in a burrito, period. As we've previously explored, global demand for plant-based food continues climbing — the stalls are happening specifically in markets where the marketing leaned too heavily on identity and not enough on flavor. The chains that pulled back tended to position plant-based items as niche add-ons rather than genuinely craveable menu staples.

Beyond Meat's stock woes and Impossible Foods' leadership shakeups have grabbed headlines, but the supplier drama doesn't tell the whole story at the restaurant level. Smaller plant-based suppliers are stepping in where the big two have stumbled, and chains are increasingly developing proprietary recipes in-house. Sweetgreen, CAVA, and other fast-casual players have been quietly building menus where plant-forward eating is the default rather than the exception — and their growth numbers reflect it.

The bigger takeaway? Plant-based fast food in 2025 is entering its pragmatic era. The gold rush mentality is over. What's replacing it is a more sustainable (pun intended) approach where chains invest in plant-based items that actually perform on taste and repeat purchases. As recent data shows, the number of Americans regularly choosing plant-based meals continues to grow — they're just doing it without the fanfare. The drive-thru revolution is still happening. It just looks less like a press release and more like a really good taco.

Feature image by Erik Mclean on Pexels