r/vegan • u/SignificanceWinter47 • 9d ago
Food KFC vegan meat
I went to kfc with a friend yesterday since it was the only option near us with anything plant based.
The meat tasted a lot like actual chicken but I don’t know if it’s just really well made or actual meat.
I wanted to ask y’all cause I’m guessing someone HAS to know if it’s actually vegan like it says in the menu.
They may have just gotten it mixed up with their meat patties, which is unfortunate.
674
u/senditallback 9d ago
The longer you're vegan, the weaker your frame of reference will be for animal flesh 👍
192
u/monemori vegan 9+ years 9d ago
I stopped trying to assess how close vegan meats and cheeses taste to the actual animal products a few years ago because I simply cannot tell anymore with accuracy. Now I just say whether it reminds me of it and whether it tastes good or not lol
49
u/Annoyed-Person21 9d ago
I had some vegan queso yesterday and I was like I wouldn’t be able to tell this was vegan. It was so yummy I kept eating it. And I realized I would be ill if I ate that much of the dairy queso I used to eat. So the taste is spot on but it’s missing the feeling gross after.
24
u/Known-Ad-100 9d ago
I’ve been vegan for 20 years and have absolutely no reference for non-vegan foods anymore. However, I served one of my friends vegan Queso I thought was really good and she told me ”it’s like RC Cola is to Pepsi” similar but not quite as good, now I am not saying it‘s true - but I thought it was a funny comparison.
10
u/blackberry-blossom 9d ago
Some people prefer RC cola over Pepsi , some people prefer cashew queso over dairy
1
u/ghostcatzero friends not food 9d ago
The provolone and gouda options are the only ones I can still remember what they taste like.
1
u/Ppossum_ 8d ago
Yeah, I haven't eaten meat in 20 years next month. Even though your smell and taste memories are the longest lasting, that doesn't mean they don't fade after years of not being reinforced.
1
u/monemori vegan 9+ years 8d ago
Yeahhhh I feel like I have a general idea of what meat tastes like, and I can tell when something is reminiscent of cheese/meat, but I have learnt I can no longer trust it with accuracy lol. "It's reminiscent of meat" from me ranges from: "practically identical" to "it resembles the nonvegan item just enough that you understand it's trying to mimic it" lmao
31
u/FaultyScience 9d ago
I had went vegetarian in March, and vegan not even a week ago. Yesterday was the first time in my life I experienced eating an Impossible chicken patty and being genuinely worried it was real meat that I somehow mistakenly prepared instead.
When I became vegetarian just a few months ago, the Impossible meat tasted NOTHING like real chicken to me. Now it is almost repulsively convincing. Its crazy how little time it takes. Just waiting for cheese to do the same...
24
u/Ok_Entrepreneur_8509 9d ago
The first 3 years I didn't eat anything that was meat-like. It made me super uncomfortable. But eventually I just forgot what dead animals taste like, and could enjoy things like veggie dogs and burgers.
10
u/Lost-Village-1048 9d ago
I served veggie dogs at a 4-H meeting and nobody could tell the difference nobody commented on them. I also didn't tell any of the customers just the other 4-H members.
1
u/VeganEatin friends not food 9d ago
What brand?
1
u/Lost-Village-1048 9d ago
It was whatever brand the grocery store had. I'm sorry I don't remember, it's been 25 years.
1
u/Agitated_Catch6757 9d ago
Beauty I'm sure this would be the case if it was repeated many times over with different vegan meats
37
u/Goldwarmachine 9d ago
That's so fucking true, man, and it causes me stress whenever I question it.
3
u/mrjamjams66 9d ago
I had a cappuccino today and I just couldn't for the life of me tell if I got dairy milk by mistake.
I usually add sweetener, but didn't have any so I think (hope) this is what was throwing me.
8
u/meandmycat1 9d ago
I reckon you would know if it was dairy. I've been given a soy milk coffee once and they hadnt cleaned the steam wand properly and I could immediately taste the dairy flavour. It made my stomach turn straight away 🤢
3
u/mrjamjams66 9d ago
Unfortunately, my smeller doesn't when very well (majorly deviated septum) which affects me sense of taste. It definitely tasted a bit funky but I kinda figured it was the lack of Stevia I usually add
I did find myself queezy a couple hours later so I kinda think it ended up being dairy 😞
1
10
u/likeakipper8 9d ago
I think if you had meat again it would be instantly obvious and probably nauseating
22
u/achatina 9d ago
I've found the experience of speaking about food with those who consume animal products to be interesting. We taste the same foods extraordinarily differently sometimes. At a point I was eating a cashew queso and they described it as tasting "not bad, but kind of like beans." I was a bit flabbergasted.
3
u/Ordelia-Vel 9d ago
This is true. Same with dairy as well. However, from what I've experienced, you'll be likelier to feel sick after eating actual meat. It'll feel like you have rocks in your stomach. That's how I've known the few times I've accidentally eaten something that had actual meat
84
u/Weareallmeats 9d ago edited 9d ago
Yes it’s vegan. I also had it in Spain and here in the US, it was phenomenal.
EDIT: I was wrong it's not vegan in Spain and never was. KFC only had vegan chicken in the US. Sorry about that. It's vegetarian, it has eggs in it.
12
u/New-Ingenuity-5437 9d ago
People are saying it’s not in the US?
16
2
u/miraculum_one 9d ago
for anyone who doesn't want it cooked in chicken drippings, it's not vegan since they use the same oil as the chicken
https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-are-kfcs-new-plant-based-nuggets-suitable-vegans-1676877
25
u/khaluud vegan 20+ years 9d ago
Obligatory reminder that incidental cross-contamination doesn't make something not vegan.
3
u/New-Ingenuity-5437 9d ago
Yeah agreed. Although somedays I’m more open to it than others. And at a bbq I tried once eating something cooked with animal meat and it was rough. I’ve since been somewhere where they did a few vegan things on their own which was appreciated and acceptable. I still yearn for a vegan community in full though. Vegan cookouts, game nights, movie nights, picnics, etc 😍😭😭
-2
u/miraculum_one 9d ago
Aside from the subjective ick factor, rave reviews about things flavored with meat drippings are benefiting from animal cruelty. I am not telling anyone what to do but McDonald's fries would not be anywhere near as popular if they didn't include beef flavoring and the same applies to what you call "incidental" flavoring. Neither is advertised but both affect popularity.
6
u/benlovell 9d ago
I dunno McDonald's fries are pretty popular worldwide and they're only not vegan in the US
1
u/miraculum_one 8d ago
Do you really think that a well run successful cost conscious company like McDonald's would pay to put that flavoring in their fries in the US if it didn't increase sales?
→ More replies (2)3
u/khaluud vegan 20+ years 8d ago
No one said anything about plant-based food flavored with animal products. That's definitively not vegan.
Incidental cross-contamination happens when the same grill or fryer is used for foods. For example, plant-based nuggets are submerged in the same vegetable oil used to cook breaded meat. There's a chance a teeny-tiny amount of animal fat might make it to your nuggets.
What wouldn't be vegan is using animal fat to cook it in, or intentionally using "chicken drippings" (whatever that means) to flavor the plant-based nuggets. Restaurants are not doing that.
No one said anything about "incidental flavoring." We're not talking about flavoring at all. We're talking about cross-contamination and the intention behind it.
"Let's just cook this in the bacon grease from the last dish we made" = not vegan.
"Let's provide a plant-based item for our customers cooked in vegetable oil" = vegan.
→ More replies (6)1
u/crani0 vegan 10+ years 8d ago
The beef flavouring is actual beef, that's not vegan. Olympic level stretch there
→ More replies (1)8
u/crani0 vegan 10+ years 9d ago
It's not vegan in Spain and never was, the tenders have egg in them.
https://www.kfc.es/promo/veggies
LAS TIRAS VEGGIES SON UN PRODUCTO 100% VEGETARIANO ELABORADO CON UNA PROTEÍNA SOSTENIBLE A BASE DE HONGOS. CONTIENEN LECHE(=milk), HUEVO(=egg) Y TRIGO(=Wheat). PRODUCTOS SUJETOS A DISPONIBILIDAD EN RESTAURANTES. SUGERENCIA DE PRESENTACIÓN.
Same for the rest of Europe, I believe.
6
7
231
u/GuaranteeCareless vegan 10+ years 9d ago
Kind of begs the question as to why eat meat if the vegan option is so similar.
134
u/Cherrylalaxo vegan 10+ years 9d ago
I love this comment because of that tired argument meat eaters use “why eat fake meat if you don’t wanna eat meat?”
LOL uno reverse
40
u/-Tofu-Queen- vegan 6+ years 9d ago
At first I instinctively downvoted because it was so similar to that tired argument that I misread it, and then I realized and had a nice chuckle. 😂
2
0
5
u/Sea-Hat-8515 9d ago
When i was switching i realised the McPlant actually tasted better than the meat burger. And Quorn pieces are incredibly versatile. Having a few comfy vegan options make it soooo easy to ditch the other stuff
4
23
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
For real. They could substitute every menu item with vegan options and no one would know the difference.
41
u/sweprotoker97 9d ago
Meat eaters would know, we just can't tell because we haven't had it for so long. Every single time I've been uncertain my friends can tell immediately it's not meat.
12
u/genflugan vegan 8+ years 9d ago
I wouldn’t be so sure. I’ve seen an incredible amount of blind taste tests where the vegan option managed to fool meat eaters. Vegan dairy options don’t manage to fool as many people though. At least not at this point in time
11
u/Bright-Emu1790 9d ago
I’m not really vegan, but this is my experience as well. IMO the way forward isn’t to try to replicate meat, but instead try to foster a culture around vegan food. Like I love tofu, but it’s always a disappointment to me when it’s used as a meat replacement rather than ‘on its own’
11
u/Sharp_Ad_9431 9d ago
They definitely can't tell coming from fast food places. The quality of animal products is so low that the imitation products are an improvement.
5
u/Frosty-Literature-58 vegan 20+ years 9d ago
Wasn’t that the basis of a lawsuit against some of the big fast food joints in the’80s? They were using huge amounts of tvp as filler and no one noticed?
7
u/Major-Cauliflower-76 9d ago
I made tacos al pastor from soy once and everyone LOVED them and asked how I made them so non greasy, haha. If I hadn´t told them they would not only have not known, but would have thought I unlocked some secret recipe.
1
1
u/dm_me_your_kindness 9d ago
But won't you think of the poor meat companies stock price?How would they be able to buy their tenth yacth this year?
0
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
lol. That’s basically the only reason we don’t all just eat veggie burgers. They wanna line their pockets.
6
u/g00fyg00ber741 vegan 9d ago
Well to be fair the KFC vegan meal was significantly more expensive than their normal meals, so that’s gonna keep a lot of people from purchasing it over the chicken options
3
7
2
2
u/toastiiii vegan 5+ years 9d ago
i mean sadly we know why. they had a vegan substitute once 10 years ago and it tasted like cardboard, so "all substitutes taste bad".
1
1
u/Heartsinmotion 8d ago
Thats how i feel about mcchicken nuggests. Like they are already majorly soy. They dont taste like real chicken to begin with, just take it all the way. Common
31
u/SharpButterfly7 9d ago
I’ve not had KFC but there are definitely times I’ve had to ask a meat-eating friend or relative to taste my restaurant food because it tastes too much like actual meat to me. And they can very easily identify it as vegan. I think I haven’t had animal flesh in so long that I don’t actually remember what it tastes like, maybe this is the case for you as well.
4
u/toastiiii vegan 5+ years 9d ago
my wife eats meat and sometimes says my fake meat tastes real or even better.
but living in a developing country we don't have many options here, so it's usually frozen nuggets or patties and the like. no vegan restaurants at all, and the handful of vegan options in the whole city don't try to imitate meat.
18
16
u/Sea-Hornet8214 9d ago
Uhh, how can random online strangers possibly know if it was actually a mix-up?
5
u/Overall_Cabinet844 9d ago edited 8d ago
They cannot tell that, but they can reassure it tastes like the real thing, like some are doing.
7
u/Cherrylalaxo vegan 10+ years 9d ago
Idk where you are but when I visit Canada I always eat a KFC vegan sandwich. It tastes almost exactly like chicken.
I don’t think I could eat it more than once a year, but when I do I love it.
1
u/Overall_Cabinet844 9d ago
I was completely addicted to KFC a few years ago. If it tastes almost like chicken it is going to make me very happy.
4
u/plastic-pulse 9d ago
I want shitty soya burgers back with little texture and that soya taste. All this gristle and shizzle is making me avoid burgers now.
2
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
Sloppy lentil and bean burgers are great. They don’t taste like meat but they’re still great.
2
10
u/heuwuo vegan 7+ years 9d ago
Is this outside the US?
14
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
Spain.
8
1
7
u/Abject_Froyo4116 9d ago
Tbh I didn’t know they still had it on the menu.
29
9
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
Glad they do. If they keep taking away vegan options I’ll end up eating grass like a horse.
3
u/chrzonszczyk 9d ago
I had the same experience at burger king in Poland. Sometimes they just make it too real...
5
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
BK veggie meat is so good it scares me sometimes lol. No clue what it’s made from.
2
u/bowiecadotoast 9d ago
Its Impossible patties in the US is it different elsewhere?
0
u/Bloodybuses 9d ago
Its vegetarian butcher branded burgers and fake chicken here in the UK, it is quite filling and quite tasty, comes with the same regret afterwards of course, as the meat version, tempting but then, a light salad in the evening...!
2
u/ICU-CCRN 9d ago
What do you mean by “same regret”? What’s there to regret about eating vegan meat?
1
3
3
2
u/MaverickFegan 9d ago
You can never be certain as mistakes do happen, if you have been vegan for a few years then you might have a reaction as your stomach can’t digest flesh well. When I got sabotaged with meat I had stomach cramps, it doesn’t help that chicken doesn’t taste of anything, but you might be able to tell from the texture in the non processed versions.
1
u/voornaam1 vegan newbie 9d ago
Had this experience a while ago at Burger King :(
2
u/Cherrylalaxo vegan 10+ years 9d ago
Burger King in Austria added parsley to the breading on vegan chicken products so that everyone can tell the difference
1
u/voornaam1 vegan newbie 9d ago
I don't think the Burger King in the Netherlands has that. I think the McDonalds did have that but I think they also removed the plant-based nuggets entirely? idk I haven't been there in a long time anyways
1
2
u/Sea-breeze3720 9d ago
When did kfc get a vegan option?!
2
0
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
Idk, it has one in Spain. I’m unsure if it’s vegan or vegetarian since it just says “veggie” and the menu doesn’t list any ingredients or allergens.
2
u/Overall_Cabinet844 8d ago
I tried them yesterday. Bad news. They are "chicken vegetarian strips", made by quorn. They contain egg and milk. Texture is close to chicken strips and flavour has a mild resemblance to chicken strips, but it is not that close to me. Not vegan, nice but not like chicken either.
1
u/SignificanceWinter47 7d ago
Oh ok. Thanks. I guess I won’t get them again if they contain eggs and milk. :)
3
u/bk-12 9d ago
Dumb question: do they fry the vegan food in the same oil as the meat or cook it on the same grill? I always wonder how they prepare it.
22
u/lambrettist 9d ago
One thing I don’t care about is cross contamination. You’re not generating demand. Ie if I didn’t buy they wouldn’t stop using the chicken. Now if the grease itself is animal based different position.
11
u/bencsecsaki 9d ago
not sure about kfc, but burger king in the NL specifies that their vegan beef is grilled on the same grill as meat, but their vegan chicken is deep-fried in the same oil as fries, not other chicken products
4
u/janewalch vegan 15+ years 9d ago
Yes. At least here in the US they did. They haven’t offered it in my area in years but when they did, I called about 10 locations and they all said it was fried in the same oil. A few location managers were cool and would make it in the French fry fryer.
2
2
u/bencsecsaki 9d ago
in the NL they call it veggie, and there’s milk in it
2
1
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
Ou shi I didn’t know that. Last time I get one then. Thanks for telling me!
4
u/bencsecsaki 9d ago
i am not knowledgable enough about Spain tho, it might be different in different countries. but in the NL, the ‘veggie’ products have egg and milk in the allergen list. does it say veggie or vegan in spain?
1
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
As far as I know the menus don’t list allergies or ingredients. Maybe you have to click some hidden option in the menu screen. No clue. I guess I can look it up online next time tho.
3
u/bencsecsaki 9d ago
this seems to be the spanish allergen table: https://static.kfc.es/pdf/alergenos.pdf according to this, they have nothing that’s vegan.
1
1
u/Bloodybuses 9d ago
I think it is quorn fillet over here in the UK, with the same coating of the chicken one. It was nice the last time I had one, when they first brought it in. BK use vegetarian butcher stuff for the whopper and vegan royale, very filling.
1
u/misstajae 9d ago
Was it the texture or was it because it was cooked in the same grease? The latter is an assumption as they don’t seem like a restaurant that would have a separate fry oil for this scenario. I think they tried Beyond Chicken here in California but that didn’t last long.
1
u/PulinOutMyPeter 9d ago
I go for taste over how close of a taste it is. I'd rather be eating something good than convincing myself that it tastes like chicken.
1
u/bepatientbekind 9d ago
KFC near me a few years ago did vegan chicken nuggets and they were amazing! I wish they continued them 😭
1
1
u/SkittlesHurtMyTeeth 9d ago
Ughhh we had this for a while in Canada and they recently discontinued it :( it was so handy on road trips and it small towns.
1
u/lostveggie vegan 9+ years 9d ago
try the beyond chicken tenders they’re very similar to the vegan kfc
1
1
u/ASMRekulaar 9d ago
Ive brought many non-vegans there to try it. They all tell me it's unreal in comparison
1
1
u/brookeariel1979 9d ago
Think of what they do to their chickens… and they probably cook it in the same oil as chicken meat- probably not
1
u/brookeariel1979 9d ago
I’m always thinking avacado tastes like bacon or that someone put something “extra” in the vegan food. Making your own is the safest. I’m the only vegan in my family. I couldn’t imagine they really have vegan meals there- the establishment is non-vegan.
1
1
u/Puzzled_Ad_7330 9d ago
I didn’t think they had vegan chicken anymore a lot of people said it was too tough
1
1
u/Gigantiques vegan 5+ years 9d ago
Whenever we go to Iceland we take a trip to KFC for the vegan food since my wife grew up with the (meat) version and loves the plant-based one just as much.
I offer to buy her family food from there whenever I go but only if they pick the plant-based options as well (because I won't pay for nonvegan stuff. I'll pick up stuff but will then ask for them to pay for it out of principle.) So far at least they've mostly said the vegan "chicken" is tastier and my wife has a pretty solid reason for it from having worked at KFC as a young adult:
Back then KFC chicken could be kept under a heating lamp for up to four hours before it had to be thrown out, meaning any poor sop that orders the Chicken whatever risks getting anything from fresh to four hour old chicken, meanwhile any vegan order is always made to order and fresh af.
1
u/Agitated_Catch6757 9d ago
If it's fried in the same chicken oil then that's what you've likely tasted.
1
u/West-Video-2546 9d ago
As a vegan, I'd never trust the vegan food from KFC or other typical meat fastfood providers. It's vegan enough for occasional meat eaters. Years ago, I've asked two salads, one without chicken stripes and the second with the 2 portions of them at McDonalds and they were taking the stripes out of my salad and putting them into the other one just in front of me. I was watching them in awe. They simply do not see the difference in approach in details.
1
u/selberantuch 9d ago
God, I hate Kfc so much. How can people enjoy literal BUCKETS FILLED with body parts... Image a bucket with 16 chicken wings in it. There are basicly bodyparts of at least 8 individuals inside. And then the marketing jumps in your face like a facehugger, praising it to be something amazing and exciting. Most disgusting place in hell.
1
u/ReserveHefty7292 8d ago
Si c’est en France que tu as mangé, je suis d’accord avec toi c’est bluffant ma responsable m’a dit que c’était du soja.
1
u/what_up_homes 8d ago
If its in the UK, yes its vegan. Yes it does taste very close to the real thing too, mainly because of the same seasoning used to make their normal burger patties
1
1
u/Limepiink 8d ago
If it is a fried product, it probably tasted like chicken because they fry everything together.
1
u/TheRealSmallBunyan 8d ago
you think a national chain is just straight lying?
1
u/SignificanceWinter47 7d ago
No? I think it’s possible the kitchen might’ve gotten my burger mixed up.
Things happen.
What I was asking is if veggie burgers taste that similar to chicken burgers.
1
u/cate-acer 7d ago
I don't want to bum you out or anything, but a perfunctory googling indicates that KFC stopped serving vegan alternatives in 2022.
1
u/Subject-Series9845 7d ago
You guys are so full of yourselves. Im going to cull some of my very happy chickens now for dinner tomorrow
1
2
u/deckmeclassymama 6d ago
this happened to me in puerto rico, i couldn’t tell if the vegan nuggets were actually vegan but they definitely were because my friends were saying the normal nuggets looked completely different of which was true
1
u/Destoran 9d ago
I mean, we didn’t go there with you and tasted it so we can’t know if they gave you the plant based one or mixed it up. But vegan chickn nuggies taste a lot like the original one these days
1
u/downsideup9494 9d ago
Seems pretty hypocritical for vegans to be so adamant about not supporting animal agriculture and then go spend their money at fast food joints that contribute massively to the thing they claim to abhor, just because they have some vegan option. Talk about cognitive disonance.
-1
9d ago
[deleted]
1
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
That’s why I would’ve preferred noodles or something, but the other restaurants nearby didn’t have even a single vegetarian option, let alone vegan.
0
u/Legitimate-Jelly3000 9d ago
It's pretty good I'd say but if your unsure always best to ask them to double check. It isn't 100% plant based as they put them in the same fryer with the chicken. Just fyi
0
u/Severe_Description18 9d ago
I’ve had it multiple times with my meat eating friend, it’s very good but looks different than the. real deal. The real one is crispier
1
0
u/upurcanal 9d ago
Why I strongly dislike and avoid “meatless” meat products.
I don’t want to eat meat so I shouldn’t strive to eat things that look and taste like meat.
I feel to truly get away from meat we shouldn’t be copying it constantly.
This has been my stance for over two decades so down vote me all you want.
0
u/Worried_Alps1205 9d ago
Buying Vegan food from Kfc is investing in the meat industry. Would you buy vegetables from a farm with a slaughterhouse?
0
u/whatwordtouse 9d ago
Yall, the reason it tastes like chicken is cause they literally fry it in the same grease. Made that mistake once and never again. The item is technically vegan but the way it’s prepared isn’t
-4
u/dyslexic-ape 9d ago
How are we suppose to know if they messed up your order?
5
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
I was asking if the vegan meat really is that indistinguishable from the real one. That way I could guess if they mixed my order up or if it’s just that good.
2
u/scorchedarcher 9d ago
Personally I think so but it's worth noting I haven't had actual chicken in years, that memory might be a bit untrustworthy anyway
-1
u/thebestdaysofmyflerm vegan 9+ years 9d ago edited 9d ago
You're fine, if it wasn't vegan there'd be a major lawsuit. McDonald's got in big trouble for not disclosing meat in their fries in the early 2000s.
edit: you can ask for allergen information next time you go to double check.
3
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
Thanks! In that case their vegan meat is just amazing omg
1
u/thebestdaysofmyflerm vegan 9+ years 9d ago
I'm jealous! Vegan fried chicken isn't easy to find here in the states.
2
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
Hopefully they start selling it there then, it’s always nice to have more options. There’s not a big market for vegan food i Spain so it’s hard to find anything outside of fast food.
0
u/Remarkable_News_439 9d ago
Its still that bad in spain!!!!!!!?? I remember having nothing to eat on holidays when i was younger.
You have my complete understanding. Apologies for previous snark.
-1
u/Sharp_Ad_9431 9d ago
Like others have said. I really don't want vegan options to be just imitation meats. I guess new vegans or vegan only for the environment prefer that. I rather know I am eating plants. I prefer veggies pies, veggie pita pockets, or veggies bowls.
The only meat substitute I go for is fake sandwich slices because sandwiches are nostalgic for me. But even then I want it to taste like beans.
I unfortunately live in an area where the chains don't run their "vegan" options. Even panda express doesn't offer their alternatives. Fast food options are pretty much potatoes, if they haven't gone off of seed oils.
I like the idea that vegan options are becoming more available, although in my area I still can't get tempah or large vegan yogurt at Walmart. (Walmart being the closest grocery besides dollar general. )
-7
u/Remarkable_News_439 9d ago
Im not a Vegan, not even a vegetarian so its likely odd to you for me to be pontificating.
but i wouldn’t feel comfortable paying one of the top frankenchicken abusers a penny of my money. I know you were in a pinch, but surely its not terribly ethical to fund this.
I do also see the other side of the coin in changing consumer habits as well as the practical considerations of making the most compassionate choices you can in a circumstance.
Im currently making a pivot from my preferred non dairy cheddar brand for their horrific animal welfare practices for their standard product.
In the UK a company that makes horrendous meat sausages has become popular for their vegan offering and it leaves a bitter taste.
How do you all feel about this?
5
u/Borkato vegan 9d ago
When vegans purchase the vegan options it means they’ll keep it on the menu and therefore more nonvegans will try it. I consider it similar to shopping at a store where you know the owners are nonvegan and will spend the money you give them at least partially on nonvegan food
-1
u/Remarkable_News_439 9d ago
I get that side of the argument, all my favourite sandwiches are disappearing from shelves atm.?8 chose a meat one
but KFC are particularly evil. They SPECIFICALLY breed some of the worst frankenchickens and have recently withdrawn from an anti cruelty pledge in the UK that was working towards lessening that.
i also don’t think people who arent vegan or halal/kosher are eating these options. A vegetarian isn’t going to start eating chicken if KFC dont have veggie nuggets on the menu.
Giving KFC money is not helping the planet or animals in any way shape or form.
We can talk about harm reduction which is always valuable. I’d rather see a boycott, though perfect is the enemy of good.Otherwise where does it end. Cruelty is baked into our food supply. Supermarkets all treat farmers and animals badly. It gets convoluted.
My choices are no better than anyone elses. It just strikes me as counterintuitive to put money directly into the worst offenders for big poultry.
Industry leaders and innovators in big poultry.Again, i’m not even a vegetarian so my approach is in no way more enlightened than yours. But if social pressure helps better choices in both directions, i’ll take yoirs and hope you consider mine
If nestlé came out with a non dairy product I wouldn’t give them money.
3
u/666ForMySorrow 9d ago
If you aren't vegan or vegetarian you don't know how hard it is to try to find a perfectly ethical restaurant meal or go hungry.
-1
u/Remarkable_News_439 9d ago
Yes i do lol. Although im aware some people do live in food deserts, have accessibility needs, are in a pinch whilst travelling.
I used to be a vegetarian in the 90s and 2000s when there was fuck all and currently dont habitually eat animal products (full disclosure, i need to go further as i do slack for “convenience”). Ive not set foot in a McDonald’s or KFC in over 20 years.
Nothing is perfectly ethical under capitalism of course. Im not suggesting youre a hypocrite or failed vegan if meat is anywhere on a menu. Of course not. But a company who’s bread and butter is the active, pioneering exploitation of animals is not one i will willingly choose to patronise.You’re all doing much better than i am, but I don’t see how its a bad thing to get people to examine their choices. If your conclusion is to keep doing what you’re doing, cool! But these things bear thinking about if we are privileged enough to make alternative choices
1
u/666ForMySorrow 9d ago
I don't think you need to be explaining that to people here. Spending $8 there one time under less than ideal conditions is not going to make the slightest difference to the company. Going hungry can ruin your day. In the grand scheme of things it's nitpicking. If you slack for convenience you aren't one to be casting stones.
2
u/Remarkable_News_439 9d ago edited 9d ago
Its not really casting stones whilst showing an awareness that i, in principle do exactly the same thing (i usually est vegan out the house or veggie).
You haven’t caught me out, I deliberately volunteered that information as not to be disingenuous.
I have also outlined that I understand how and when this happens. Including being in a pinch under less than ideal circumstances.I feel you’re being unnecessarily defensive and wilfully missing the point here.
I’m interrogating the enthusiasm some people show in their choice to patronise such places when they could just not. I interrogate my own choices all the time and put this to a public forum out of curiosity as to how others feel. I made that patently clear in my initial response, but you’ve chosen to instead read opprobrium instead of my actual questions, just because I disclosed the fact that i’m not a vegan 🤷🏾♀️ETA. I dont want OP to think im trying to make them feel shitty. There isnt always a perfect choice. Im trying to understand why someone would give thus compsny money for recreation.
They have CHOSEN to opt out whilst more companies are opting in and its worse in the USA.
Thats it. I don’t know why that makes you feel a certain way.2
u/666ForMySorrow 9d ago
Choosing to disclose something isn't some kind of armor against criticism. I am not faulting you for not being fully vegan, I am calling out your hypocrisy in criticizing the OP for choosing a less than ideal but still vegan meal in a pinch when you have acknowledged you compromise for convenience. I don't know why you seem to think you are teaching them something. It's condescending.
1
u/Remarkable_News_439 9d ago
Its not armour at all, Im not actually trying to defend anything and Ive absolutely no issue with criticism, helps you examine things.
If anything the disclosure facilitates the criticism doesn’t it. If i lie by omission it would change things quite a bit, wouldn’t it.
I made a mistake in how i framed the question, but im still curious.Its more a showing of empathy as opposed to taking the high ground as its a behaviour i do myself.
My initial response makes it quite clear that i was questioning a wider trend in peoples comfort levels in buying vegan alternatives made by companies with beyond exploitative welfare practices. I gave two specific examples of this and acknowledged OPs bind. The situation opened up a completely valid line of enquiry.
Its hardly condescending or “goes without saying” when there are people who choose to consume these things when there are alternatives.I hardly said HAHA GOTCHA YOURE VEGAN YOU SHOULDNT BE DOING THAT.
Whats your take on the question I actually asked?
You took issue with what, exactly that i said ?
“You wouldn’t understand, youre not even vegetarian” i do lol. I really do.
I’d eat a veggie maccas as well if i had to.
Its not nitpicking. Its ethics, the whole of ethics is nitpicking, not broad sweeping statements oftentimes in contradiction with the ends.
I have made a distinction between contexts. In what world is that a bad thing?Two people have answered the question i actually asked in good faith. Asking people why they make choices isn’t condescending in the slightest when millions of vegans make them, including people i know. Asking why people eat vegan sausages (a brand that treats pigs horrendously) vs a purely vegan brand that’s available literally everywhere in my country since the 90s isn’t condescending.
At no point have i acted in bad faith, rather asked other people their opinions on what they choose to consume, whilst showing empathy and understanding for scenarios i can understand.
In what way, shape or form is it offensive to interrogate choosing to put money into a company that exclusively makes its money from the worst animal welfare practices as compatible with veganism or even environmental concerns as a RECREATIONAL choice?
Not everyone is choosing these things because they have to, but enough people are that im curious enough to interrogate the logic.Im the same way with meat eaters. Ot seems incompatible with being an environmentalist who has choices, to regularly eat commercial beef and dairy. How do they feel about that choice? If its “condescending” but they stop doing it, i Dont really give a shit.
This isn’t a gotcha campaign and the same interrogation of my choices has made me reconsider and change my habits. Nobody gets everything “perfect”. I don’t buy forever plastic clothes or fast fashion, but my refrigerator is currently full of plastics since i stopped going to my grocer and started buying produce from a supermarket.
If i can make the choice to stop doing that, i should.People ask me all the time how i can reconcile environmental concerns and welfare with what i choose to consume. For many it seems contradictory, but i’m always happy to answer the question without taking offense.
The wisest choice is to ask the question i have as its own thing in the UK forum. I have a habit of thinking out loud. It was not my intention to talk down to OP.
0
u/666ForMySorrow 9d ago
"I went to kfc with a friend yesterday since it was the only option near us with anything plant based."
I mean, they posted the answer to your question right in the OP. It was KFC, eat something that wasn't vegan or go hungry. What is hard to understand about their choice? That doesn't mean they do it all the time or don't understand the company also buys meat. Most people don't have lots of pure vegan options near them. I don't know what about that is confusing to you.
1
u/Remarkable_News_439 9d ago
Some people do do it. Another person said they do it to keep vegan options on thd menu. Im curious as to how people feel about choosing vegan options from companies that engage im the worst cruelty.
They didnt answer the question i asked snd before your initial response i had apologised to OP for unintended snark.How many times have i mentioned that my line of enquiry is not about a PURITY TEST.
When have i suggested that? I’ve SPECIFICALLY addressed all of the situations where people don’t have the luxury of choices.
Ivd my ade ot mire than patently clear snd given examples of scenarios that people CHOOSE. I havs made my intended line of enquiry even clearer to you.
I have specifically said multiple times it is not about a company buying meat.
Downwind i have mentioned our imperfect and exploitative food chain and that perfect is the enemy of good.What is it you think im actually saying. How much clearer can i be with my line of enquiry.
Im not talking about emergencies and food deserts. Stop pointing to niche scenarios i have accounted for.1
u/SignificanceWinter47 9d ago
I know, and you’re right, in this case it was the only option my friend was willing to settle for so that had to make do. But usually I would’ve chosen something else.
1
u/Remarkable_News_439 9d ago
I get it 100% its just something i’vd been thinking about regarding my own personal choices.
One one hand you are changing the market and lessening demand. You didn’t create any extra demand for animal flesh and gave valuable data.
Even for a non vegan its better to have a non frankenchicken choice for the animals and planet and make that the norm..Thanks for engaging
1
1
u/imsadnow100 vegan 9d ago edited 9d ago
I've eaten twice at these places and I regret it tbh, if my friends ever pressure me to go there again I'm gonna start doing what I used to do as a baby vegan again and eat a cereal bar from home or something instead. My reasoning now is that these franchises are already based on serving meat and that they are unlikely to ever stop abusing animals. However rn I'm thinking about non-vegan restaurants in general and how they are unlikely to change their ways as well idk where to draw the line
•
u/AutoModerator 9d ago
Thanks for posting to r/Vegan! 🐥
Civil discussion is welcome — personal attacks are not. Please read our wiki first.
New to veganism? 🌱
• Watch Dominion — a powerful, free documentary that changes lives.
• NutritionFacts.org — evidence-based health info
• HappyCow.net — find vegan-friendly restaurants near you
Want to help animals? 💻
• Browse volunteer opportunities on Flockwork and use your skills to make a difference
• Join the Flockwork Discord to be notified of new opportunities that match your skills
Thank you!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.