Panera, Ruby Tuesday's Offer More Plant-Based Meat And Food Products

Vegans looking for more dining out options will be happy to know that two new chains recently introduced or plan on bolstering up plant-based food options to their menu.

Panera Bread

Panera Bread's menu is already 25% plant-based, but the chain wants to increase this ratio to 50% over the next few years, Today reported last week. The company isn't looking towards companies like Beyond Meat Inc BYND to supply it with food products; rather, it will incorporate more plant-based whole foods like quinoa to its menu.

Panera also plans on offering its customers at least one plant-based choice across each of its six menu categories.

The company will continue focusing on offering responsibly raised animal proteins so "guests can eat the way they want," Sara Burnett, Panera's vice president of wellness and food policy, told Today.

Ruby Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday last week started selling a plant-based burger made by Sweet Earth Foods. The burger will be called the Sweet Earth Awesome Burger and will sell through mid-March. At that point, the chain will decide if it will become a permanent fixture on the menu.

"We know many of our customers have an appetite for delicious meat-free options, which is why we're excited to partner with Sweet Earth Foods to offer a plant-based, meatless burger that not only mimics the look and taste of a traditional burger but also boasts great flavor every burger lover can appreciate," Ruby Tuesday Chief Marketing Officer Jenifer Boyd Harmon said in a press release.

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