McDonald’s first vegetarian-only restaurant

They’re well-known for their beef and chicken based burgers, but it looks as if McD’s is on a mission to conquer a new frontier – and a veggie one at that.

The restaurant changes its menu to suit local tastes. So, this means no beef or pork to cater to both Hindus and Muslim customers respectively.

The first vegetarian outlet will open its doors mid-2013, near the Golden Temple in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar in northern India. Religious authorities forbid consumption of meat at the shrine.

“It will be the first time we have opened a vegetarian restaurant,”says Rajesh Kumar Maini, a spokesman for McDonald’s in northern India. “There is a big opportunity for vegetarian restaurants (in India) as many Indians are vegetarian.”

So, what happens after their first vegetarian restaurant opens? Simple. McDonald’s plans to open another vegetarian outlet near the Vaishno Devi cave shrine in north-western Indian Kashmir – a revered Hindu pilgrimage site that draws hundreds of thousands of worshippers every year.

The McDonald’s chains which are already open for business in India has a menu that is 50% vegetarian. Its McAloo Tikki burger, which uses a spiced potato-based patty, is the top seller, accounting for a quarter of total sales.

Among the chicken-only meat offerings, the Maharaja Mac is also a favourite.