Fast food joints are jumping aboard the plant-based bandwagon: KFC is selling out of its vegan chicken and Burger King's Impossible Whopper is blowing up. But Wendy's has yet to adopt the trend—and fans are pissed. So much so that they've created a Change.org petition demanding the burger alternative.
Now I'm not trying to throw shade or anything, but I didn't even know Wendy's had dedicated fans. But apparently, they do. The petition has already racked up 25,000 signatures. The plea, which went live online a few weeks back, is looking to snag 10,000 more.
"I am not able to enjoy any meal options at my nearby Wendy's because my diet has changed to exclude options that involve animal cruelty," the creator Lana Weidgenant wrote, adding that she used to love a good frostie burger combo. "I would be more than happy to become a regular customer at Wendy's again if [they] were to catch up to their competitors at Burger King, Carl's Jr., and Hardee's in carrying a plant-based burger for customers to enjoy."
Weidgenant goes on to detail the demand for these vegan alternatives, saying Wendy's is "falling behind the times and missing an enormous opportunity." Though reps for the brand have yet to comment on the petition, CEO Todd A. Penagor did note that they are "taking a hard look" at adding meatless options during the company's 2019 second-quarter earnings call, VegNews reports.
"A plant-based burger would not only be better for animal welfare, the environment, and health, but also great for business at Wendy’s," Weidgenant added.
