McDonald’s has confirmed that it will no longer sell healthy dishes on its menu, simply because there is not enough demand for them.
The fast food chain removed salads from its menu during the pandemic to streamline and speed up service, as well as adapt to the disrupted supply chain.
Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, has made it clear that salads will not return because consumers don’t care for them.
“One thing that’s not going to come back to American restaurants nationally is salads. The demand just isn’t there,” Erlinger told the Wall Street Journal Global Food Forum in Chicago on Wednesday.
“They’re looking for good fries, they’re looking for a $5 meal deal, they’re looking for a hot, fresh sandwich, and that’s what we’re going to continue to give them,” he explained of McDonald’s customers.
The fast food chain removed salads from its menu during the pandemic
Salads first appeared on the McDonald’s menu in 2000, when the McSalad Shaker was launched with a major advertising campaign.
The green salads were served in a tall cup with dressing, but were not perceived as complete by consumers and were therefore replaced by Premium salads in 2003.
These new salads pack a heartier punch, featuring grilled chicken, mix-ins, and Newman’s Own dressing.
“Nearly 90 percent of the American population goes to McDonald’s once a year,” Erlinger explained to the top.
“Because we serve 90 percent of the American population, we have to stay true to who we are and view our business as an opportunity to increase frequency and serve more customer needs. We don’t necessarily have to figure out how to serve that last 10 percent.”
“Our founder said in 1970, ‘I don’t know what people will be eating in the year 2000, but we’re going to serve more of it than anyone else,’” the CEO said.
Addition: ‘And if people really want salads from McDonald’s, then we’ll be happy to relaunch salads. But what our experience has shown is that that’s not what consumers expect from McDonald’s.’
Salads were first introduced to the McDonald’s menu in 2000 with the McSalad Shaker
While Erlinger said the chain was discontinuing salads, he also said McDonald’s had abandoned its attempt to sell meat-free beef burgers in America.
He said the McPlant closed because customers don’t want fake meat.
The chain has been testing the McPlant in hundreds of restaurants in California and Texas since trials began in late 2021.
Developed in collaboration with Beyond Meat, based on pea and rice proteins.
Although it was a flop in the US, it was a hit in the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Portugal.
McDonald’s is now shifting its focus to chicken, which is more popular with its customers than beef, partly because of its lower cost.