World Animal Protection new corporate scorecard reveals top restaurant chains are failing animals and the planet

Last week, World Animal Protection released Moving the Menu 2024, its latest report card evaluating the top 25 US restaurant chains across five popular categories: burgers, chicken, sandwich, coffee/beverage, and Latin/Mexican-inspired. The report reveals an alarming lack of plant-based by default options at popular chain restaurants and zero meaningful commitments to address their resource-intensive menus, with most chains receiving low grades.

The scorecard emphasizes the importance of shifting to plant-based by default options, meaning offering fully plant-based dishes as a primary choice without requiring modification, for protecting animals, the planet, and public health.

"Despite the urgent need to shift to more plant-based diets and the growing consumer demand for ethical and environmentally friendly food choices, most leading chains like Taco Bell and McDonald's are failing to make the grade," stated Annette Manusevich, Farming Campaign Manager, World Animal Protection, US. "Chain restaurants play a pivotal role in the daily food decisions of many American families. Establishing and promoting innovative plant-based by default menus is critical for shifting our food system away from the destruction and suffering inherent in factory farming and move us towards a more sustainable future."

While some chains like Burger King, Peet's, and Chipotle have made notable progress by introducing plant-based menu items and highlighting the benefits of plant-based foods in their reporting, there is much more work to be done and still an opportunity for companies to stand out as true leaders.

The Standard American Diet's current mass production and consumption of meat involves immense animal suffering, environmental degradation, and public health risks along the entire supply chain. World Animal Protection is calling for restaurants to adopt ambitious meat reduction targets and incorporate more innovative plant-based proteins to mitigate these impacts. Options like fermentation protein and, potentially in the near future, cell-cultivated protein offer exciting opportunities to reimagine fast food menus and make positive changes for our communities.