Plant-Based Meat Contracts Amid Shift to Animal Meat, Whole-Plant Options

The plant-based meat boom is losing steam, with Datassential tracking declines on both permanent and limited-time menus.

Incidence rates of plant-based meat have declined 3% over the past year, according to Datassential’s 2026 Trends report.

Animal meat incidence, meanwhile, rose 2%. Plant-based meat alternatives have also declined 17% on burger menus over the past four years and are projected to decrease another 7% over the next four.

New and limited-time introductions of plant-based items are slowing as well. According to Datassential One, limited-time offers labelled as plant-based have fallen from a peak of 73 LTOs in 2022 to 22 in 2025, with only seven launches recorded year-to-date in 2026.

The plant-based category’s struggles are also evident in recent company performance. Beyond Meat reported first-quarter 2026 revenue of $58.2 million — its lowest quarterly revenue since 2019 — with volumes down 15.3% year over year.

Datassential’s Meat’s Back on the Menu chapter of their 2026 Trends report reveals a growing preference for animal meat across key measures. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of consumers say animal meat is more satisfying than plant-based alternatives, while 65% consider animal meat more natural than plant-based, and 67% say there are dishes where plant-based meat just won’t cut it and can’t replace the comfort, texture, or taste of animal meat. 

Value perceptions also favor meat: 61% of consumers choose animal protein based on price compared to 43% for plant-based products, while 72% of operators say animal meat offers better “bang for their buck.”

Still, plant-forward eating remains relevant. Datassential’s 2025 Plant-Forward Opportunity report finds that consumers place greater trust in whole food ingredients like legumes, nuts, and grains than in highly processed meat alternatives. Concerns around taste, satiety, processing, and price continue to weigh on plant-based meat, suggesting the future of plant-forward dining may lie less in mimicking meat and more in celebrating plants themselves.