Arby's Has Beef With Plant-Based Meats

More fast food chains are adding plant-based meat alternatives onto their menus, like Burger King's "Impossible Whopper" made with Impossible Foods patties. While other franchisees like White Castle, and TGI Friday's embrace plant alternatives, Arby's has blatantly rejected the trend with their introduction of a meat-based vegetable.

Food writer Corby Kummer explained the intention behind Arby's new product - turkey breast coated in powdered carrot juice. "It's a publicity stunt. So they're inventing these things that are meat substitutes for carrots - the marrot," he said.

Kummer explained how some franchisees like McDonald's and Wendy's are waiting to see how their competitors fare before adopting plant-based meat foods into their stores.

"What this shows is that companies are cowardly. They want to see that it's actually catching on before they invest money," Kummer said. "It's a real wait and see approach. But Arby's has taken it a step farther to get itself the publicity we are giving them."

Kummer is a *senior editor at The Atlantic*, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy.