The global fast food chain McDonald’s, famed for their Big Mac beef burgers have chosen to go completely meat free in two new Indian restaurants.

Two McDonald’s restaurants set to be opened in 2013 will feature the companies first vegetarian only menu’s. The cities Amritsar and Katra, both of which hold particular religious significance will be the chains new locations.

McDonald’s already boasts around 250 sites in India, there chicken has always been served in place of beef. In India the Big Mac is known as the Maharaja Mac.

Despite 30% of all the worlds cattle living in India, eating beef is not considered acceptable. In Hinduism the cow is a sacred animal and is left to roam the country freely and unharmed.

Unlike the existing restaurants in India the new locations will not even be serving any chicken or fish meals, only vegetarian food. This is thought to be out of respect to the religious significance of the two cities.