McDonald's Canada to experiment with wooden cutlery

A McDonald's restaurant in Vancouver will soon be testing the company's greener packaging initiatives, serving wooden cutlery, paper straws and other recycling-friendly packaging.

The fast-food giant's move is the latest in a wave of announcements from major chains pledging to reduce their reliance on plastic, but experts say the steps are small and often take a long time to expand nationally.

The new McDonald's "Green Concept Restaurant" will be at 3444 East Hastings Street in Vancouver. It's one of two in Canada that will test out its more environmentally-friendly packaging — the other location is in London, Ontario.

This summer, diners at the two restaurants will see wooden cutlery and stir sticks, as well as paper straws, and they'll receive their cold drinks in a cup without plastic coating and with lids made from a wood fibre.

"We are proud of the progress our Canadian organization is making towards our global packaging sustainability goals," McDonald's Canada president John Betts said in a statement.

"It matters to our guests and we will continue taking our environmental responsibility seriously."