Carrots for carnivores: Don’t expect better eyesight

It has been christened the marrot.

In the past year, several prominent restaurant chains have added plant-based burgers, sausages and ground beef to their menus, embracing a growing consumer demand for vegetarian products that simulate the taste and texture of meat.

But Arby’s is going in the opposite direction. Rather than invest in such alternatives, the chain has unveiled a product designed to poke fun at fans of meatless meat: a carrot made from turkey.

A recent promotional video shows the step-by-step preparation of this “meat vegetable,” which consists of turkey breast wrapped in cheesecloth and coated in a carrot marinade. “If they can make meat from veggies (and other stuff),” a caption on the video says, “we can make veggies from meat.”

The advent of the marrot highlights a broader challenge facing the plant-based meat movement: Even as chains like Burger King and White Castle embrace meatless alternatives, most restaurant brands remain skeptical.

Arby’s insists that its marrot is not a stunt — or, at least, not entirely.

“It is pretty funny,” said Rob Lynch, the company’s president. For now, it is unclear whether the product will ever end up on a menu. “We are actively working to determine whether or not we can scale this,” Lynch said. “I would probably put it at 50-50.”

While Arby’s has flatly rejected plant-based meat, other chains are taking a more cautious approach.

“Most restaurant chains are really opting out for now,” said Jonathan Maze, executive editor of Restaurant Business Magazine, a trade publication. “There’s a strong argument to be had for taking a wait-and-see approach. A lot of this just really smells fad-like. It’s still a very new thing.”

On the whole, it has been an impressive year for...