Just because a person is vegetarian, doesn’t mean they want a bunch of vegetables! Some people may just want a standard fast food option, but make it plant-based. When this is your vegetarian friend, it is the perfect time to try a restaurant like Mr. Charlie’s, especially if you don’t have a lot of time for dinner. It’s very much focusing on people who are fans of McDonald’s, but putting a spin on it to make it vegan. Yep, it’s all vegan.
Most of the menu comprises of what’s in the Mr. Frowny box, which consists of a burger (price varies depending on which one of the menu you want), a four piece nugget, fries and a soda. The burger options vary from things similar to a McDonald’s hamburger or cheeseburger, but they also do their own version of a Big Mac (Mr. Chuck) or a chicken sandwich. I went for the Mr. Chuck because I always loved the Big Mac when I was younger. The nuggets also have a variety of sauces to choose from, including your standard McNugget choices, but also a selection of other sauces, and I went for the sweet and sour (another favorite in my youth) and a green sauce.
It definitely took longer to cook than a regular fast food place, and it turns out it would be quicker to order online and just pick it up and eat inside, which we found out after we arrived and had to do it this way regardless. The food definitely looked and tasted very similar to what you would expect from McDonald’s, and it definitely brought back all the nostalgia from my childhood, but made it plant-based. The sweet and sour was pretty accurate for what I remembered, and since there was plenty of sauce, I got to go back to my younger days of dipping my burger in it.
Would I go back? Sure, if someone I knew was vegan and wanted to go, but I’m not sure I’d go out of my way to return, unless I needed something quick and was in the area. I love the concept of a plant-based McDonald’s, and I am definitely a proponent of providing more options to people, but it’s basically a McDonald’s, which also isn’t the tastiest and fanciest of foods. But it’s definitely a fun idea and worth trying if you’re interested.
Score: 3/5
Recommendation: I mean you might as well go all in with the Mr. Frowny Box!
Mr. Charlie’s
432 Sutter St
San Francisco, CA 94108
