'Vegan McDonald's' Mr Charlie's To Open Two New San Diego Locations

Mr Charlie’s, sometimes known as the “vegan McDonald’s,” is opening two new locations in San Diego, California.

The popular brand is known for its red-and-gold color scheme and nostalgic, plant-based versions of mainstream fast-food staples, such as the “Frowny Meal.”

Mr Charlie’s currently has three locations in the state, and plans to add two more, one in San Diego’s Hillcrest neighborhood and another in Pacific Beach, as reported by the Times of San Diego’s “Uptown News” site at the end of November.

The plant-based fast food chain confirmed the news on Instagram and wrote, “This chapter isn’t just about expansion. It’s about showing up for a new community with the same love, humor, and heartbeat that built this brand. […] Thank you ALL for riding with us and pushing this little brand further than we ever imagined.”

In August, Mr Charlie’s celebrated the opening of its Brentwood, Los Angeles store with complimentary cheeseburgers and fries for the first 111 guests. Customers queued around the block, and a street party formed on the sidewalk outside.

After that location opened, Mr Charlie’s announced new franchising opportunities and called for partners who “care about the community, compassion, and the future of our planet” to get in touch about opening more branches.

“If you have ever dreamed of creating something that matters, of transforming your restaurant into a home for change, or of stepping fully into the plant-based revolution, this is your moment,” wrote the brand. “[…] We’ve saved water, preserved forests, spared lives, and, just as importantly – created jobs and opportunities for people too often overlooked.”

‘We wanted to create a family’

Photo shows the recently opened Mr Charlie's location in Brentwood, Los Angeles — Mr Charlie's The first Mr Charlie’s opened in 2022

Mr Charlie’s is partnered with LA’s Dream Center, which supports homeless and formerly incarcerated people to find employment, and since opening three years ago, the company has hired several of its staff members through the foundation.

Co-founder Taylor McKinnon previously experienced homelessness and addiction, as reported by the Times of San Diego, and received support from the Dream Center.

“We wanted to create a family,” McKinnon previously told Honeysuckle Magazine, “where kindness and second chances were as important as the food.”