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A Beyond Meat burger called the PLT was tested in Canada in 2019, but it never moved beyond (ha) the trial run because customers reported wanting a veggie burger that tasted more like vegetables than meat.

This March, the McVeggie hit select Canadian test markets (Brampton was the only place in the GTA to try it), and was met with “unprecedented demand,” says Jeff Anderson, culinary innovation lead at McDonald’s Canada.

“We ran out of the product in the first eight days of the four-week test run,” he says. “Guest relations received 200 inquiries, including from 50 locations outside of the test markets.” He adds that in addition to positive customer feedback, the staff at the test locations also have to give approval that the kitchen can easily put together the new burger on top of the existing menu ().

As part of the test group, I tried the McVeggie earlier this year. (Anderson says the burger hasn’t changed since then.) The burger is essentially a fried vegetable croquette with shredded lettuce and mayo on a sesame bun. The patty is made with a blend of carrots, green beans, zucchini, peas, soybeans, broccoli, and corn. It was good: a crispy, golden fried patty with a mashed potato centre (where you can see actual bits of vegetables) with the familiar taste McDonald’s mayo, shredded lettuce and bun. There’s also a (frankly, superior) Spicy Habanero McVeggie that comes with a creamy Habanero sauce.

Starting later this month, vegetarians can ditch their meatless Quarter Pounder hack and get an actual veggie combo from the regular menu. McDonald’s famously stopped cooking the fries in beef tallow in 1990 and so that vegetarians like Shania Twain can also get on board.

The McVeggie launch will also coincide with new two vegetarian Happy Meal options: a grilled cheese sandwich and a lettuce and tomato wrap.