'Good Burger 2' Targeted By PETA, Could Plant-Based Food Companies Step Up In Fake Restaurant Menu Overhaul

A 1990s cult classic movie is getting a sequel. While the movie announcement is likely music to fans’ ears, the announcement also caught the attention of the animal rights advocacy group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Here are the details.

What Happened: If you saw the 1997 movie “Good Burger,” chances are you remember the movie’s quote “Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger, can I take your order.” A recently announced sequel may be inspired to change up the line to something more in the realm of plant-based burgers like those from Beyond Meat Inc BYND.

Kel Mitchell and Kenan Thompson recently announced they are reuniting for a sequel, “Good Burger 2,” a movie that will be released on Paramount+, the streaming platform from Paramount Global Inc PARAPARAA.

“I can’t believe it’s been a little over 25 years since great customer service was born at Good Burger!” Thompson said. “Being a part of something so many generations of people have come to love has made me so proud and now to be back where it all began working on the sequel is surreal!”

The movie is expected to enter production in May and be released later in 2023.

Animal rights advocate PETA took the movie announcement as an opportunity to push the movie stars and writers to feature plant-based burgers in the plot.

“Some things (like beef patties) are better left in the ‘90s,” PETA said in an open letter.

The open letter goes on to describe the poor treatment that cows and other animals that are raised for food endure. The organization believes “Good Burger 2” could make a strong statement for vegan food options.

“Welcome to Good Burger, home of the vegan burger – can I take your order? That’s what we at PETA have in mind for Good Burger.”

PETA said that if the fictional Good Burger restaurant wants to survive in 2023, it will need to have animal-free offerings on its menu like “meat-free burgers, dairy-free shakes, and, of course, a special secret vegan sauce.”

Related Link: What 3 Analyst Ratings Have To Say About Beyond Meat

Why It’s Important: While grocery stores and some fast food restaurants have embraced having plant-based burger options available, PETA is pushing for the Good Burger restaurant to have only vegan options on the menu.

Two companies that could benefit from the sequel if the movie decides to offer some plant-based burger options are Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods.

Beyond Meat went public in 2019 at $25 per share and saw its shares soar to over $200 a share. The company saw products added to grocery stores and plant-based burgers added to menus at restaurants like McDonald's Corp MCD.

The company has struggled in recent years as consumers have not made the switch to plant-based burgers from meat with the COVID-19 pandemic and high inflation causing many consumers to buy the cheapest options rather than splurging for healthier or morally conscious food items that came with a higher price tag.

Impossible Foods, a plant-based food giant, has been considering an IPO to go public for years, but has pushed back an offering.

Beyond Meat or Impossible Foods could step up and try to partner with the movie on the release and get its products front and center to bring awareness to new fans. 

“Good Burger” grossed $23.7 million at the box office with a weekend opening of $7.1 million. While the movie wasn’t a huge box office hit, it became a cult classic and significantly beat its movie budget of $8 million.

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Photo: Poster, IMDb; burger courtesy Beyond Meat/McDonald's