Are you serious? People don't eat real meat generally because they don't like the fact that they're killing a live animal do so. I quit eating meat 5-6 years ago for this reason, yet when I visit restaurants and my friends order meat I wish I could taste what they're eating.

Meat substitutes currently are terrible, the textures and flavors are completely off. BeyondMeat supposedly creates a chicken strip that takes like the real thing, and has the same cooking properties which is extremely exciting.

Yeah, I am right there with you. I love things like tofu as they are, no need to dress them up as something they aren't. The best vegan dishes I have ever had came from places that treated those dishes as first class citizens, not imitations of other menu items.

It just makes more sense that if you prepare the ingredient as well as possible it will turn out better than if you place a restriction on yourself first (like, "make it taste like meat").

Well I think part of it might be because these people grew up eating meat and like the taste and texture of it but don't want the negative aspects associated with meat. As others have said, it's not something that we would want at every meal or every day. But, maybe you will be the one who will be eating this fake meat instead. It's just as much for you as it is for a vegetarian.

What about artificial grape flavor, etc? Maybe not faux veggies, but faux fruit is definitely prevalent.