Vegan Fast Food Chain Opens 10th Location With Plans for US Expansion

Plant Power Fast Food is going head to head with the big players in the fast-food space but making a bet on the fact that eating meat-free, dairy-free is the way of the future. The company, based in California, is expanding nationwide, and already has restaurants near colleges like San Diego State University and UCSD and now is opening its 10th location in Las Vegas. This will be its first restaurant outside of California. Earlier this year, the company revealed that it intended to spread across the state of California and eventually to other cities across the US.

The competition for plant-based fast food has recently heated up as McDonald’s announced it's bringing the McPlant to America after testing it in the UK, and Burger King is planning to expand its plant-based offerings beyond the Impossible Whopper with chicken nuggets from Impossible. Meanwhile, Panda Express is about to roll out vegan orange chicken from Beyond after the menu item became its most popular new offerings since 1987. And Taco Bell is testing out its own plant-based meat, which has been met with excitement by its fans.

Plant Power Fast Food recently partnered with real estate group Scale x 3 Management to begin franchising its business, allowing for a rapid, large-scale expansion effort. The company aims to bring a fast-food experience without any worries regarding cross-contamination, animal-based ingredients, and substitution. Any plant-based consumer can walk in and eat anything on the menu. The plant-based concept is designed to handle large crowds and quick order times, providing the same experience as any traditional fast food experience.

“Scale x 3 embodies everything we’d hoped for in a franchisee, both in terms of their commitment to the mission and also the experience and infrastructure required to operate a high-volume concept like Plant Power Fast Food,” President and Chief Operating Officer of Plant Power Fast Food Zach Vouga said.

The new Las Vegas storefront – located at 709 W Craig Rd. Suite 120, Las Vegas – opened its doors on October 15, welcoming locals and visitors to its highest-grossing first day in the company’s history, signifying rising popularity among consumers. The company also announced that alongside its nine other locations around California, it will launch its 11th location in Los Angeles.

Plant Power Fast Food fully recognizes and welcomes the introduction of plant-based proteins and ingredients entering the general fast-food sector. However, the company positions itself as a worry-free fast food experience, where consumers can easily order a completely plant-based meal without doubt or fears of cross-contamination.

“We’re grateful to see major chains adding plant-based options to their menus, but there’s no doubt that consumers are seeking out progressive new brands with an authentic commitment to taste and sustainability,” Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Harris said. “The massive growth that we’ve experienced since we started in 2016 is proof that the time is right for a major 100 percent plant-based, cruelty-free, sustainable, and healthier option in the fast-food segment.”

The expansion closely follows the company’s Series A funding round where Plant Power Fast Food secured $7.5 million. The investment round was led by Eat Beyond Global Holdings, Batta Foods, and Helia Capital USA Inc – a subsidiary of Fusion Ventures. The funding round allowed for its location in Las Vegas to launch alongside two other locations in Hollywood and Sacramento. The company announced that the funding round would allow for menu development and further corporate expansion.

"At Fusion Ventures, our mission is to invest in purpose-driven companies that are a rare combination of pure passion and operational excellence, which is the core of any truly great enterprise."  Fusion Ventures Chief Executive Officer Lee Piccoli said. "Plant Power Fast Food has built something unique and scalable, and the brand has captured the hearts of aspirational consumers whose needs are evolving."

The demand for plant-based fast food is rising as more companies begin to debut or test new vegan alternatives. This month, McDonald’s announced its first test within the United States at select restaurants nationwide. Although not fully vegan in the US, the McPlant burger features a plant-based burger patty created in partnership with Beyond Meat. The burger retains the dairy cheese and mayonnaise while substituting for vegan alternatives in other markets. Other fast-food restaurants led this movement such as Carl’s Jr, Fatburger, and Burger King. Now, Plant Power Fast Foods plans to hold the bigger chains accountable with its expanding national presence.

Fast-food restaurants have finally got the memo that their customer base isn’t just coming through for a burger, fried chicken, or a beef taco. Many now have plant-based foods and are coming up with creative, delicious ways to get more greens on the menu. Here are the 6 best fast-food chains with plant-based options on the menu.

Turns out there’s a lot more to rely on than a salad if you’re eating plant-based. Burger King has the Impossible Whopper featuring a meatless patty as well as a few secretly vegan options such as the French Toast Sticks and Hashbrowns.

Known for its mini square-shaped sliders, this hamburger chain jumped on the plant-based bandwagon at some participating locations. You can find an Impossible Slider on some White Castle menus.

This was the first national Mexican fast-food chain to offer Beyond Meat at the company’s 580 restaurants across the country. Del Taco has the Beyond Avocado Taco on the menu along with the Epic Beyond Original Mex Burrito and Avocado Veggie Bowl.

Another brand synonymous with beef burgers, Carl’s Jr. offers several plant-based options for veggie and plant lover such as Beyond Famous Star Burger and Guacamole Thickburger.

This fast-food restaurant may have been one of the first you frequented while transitioning to plant-based eating. That’s because Taco Bell has eight million vegetarian combinations and sells 350 million vegetarian items a year through menu substitutions or ordering off their vegetarian menu. In fact, they were the first quick-service restaurant to offer American Vegetarian Association (AVA) certified food options.

From the time it started offering breakfast sandwiches in 2006, the coffee conglomerate became a competitor in the fast-food space. You can get your favorite hot and cold beverages made with almond, coconut or oat milk but there are also plant-based food options available such as the Baja Black Bean Veggie Wrap, bagel with vegan cream cheese and Impossible Breakfast Sandwich.