I intended to write a post detailing the world of benefits that come from clear vegan menu labeling (and vegetarian!)…however, while doing research I stumbled across this post that does such a great job of storytelling on the issue that I want to share. Please check out the original at cadryskitchen.com. I’ve included a small excerpt below.
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What Restaurants Gain by Labeling Vegan Options
David and I regularly get together with our friends, Ashley and Adam. Ashley is mostly vegetarian. Adam is not. They were talking recently about a new restaurant in town, where they were checking out the menu. The menu was foodie-central with a who’s who of animal parts. After perusing the menu in the restaurant’s window and noting there wasn’t a single plant-based item on offer, they made room for the person behind them who was also scoping out the place.
Ashley said to Adam, “Well, I guess we’ll go to the restaurant down the road where they have vegetarian options.” The other guest chimed in, “Yep, that’s where I’m going too. I’m also vegetarian.” With that, the three of them headed on their way.
The new restaurant lost 3 diners that day – 2 vegetarians and 1 non-vegetarian – even though they may have been able to make a plant-based dish. However, since the restaurant didn’t list a single option on their menu, the group continued on. Could Ashley and Adam have called the restaurant or asked to speak to the chef? Sure. Could they have cobbled together a vegetarian option out of the ingredients on hand? Perhaps. But sometimes a person wants to take the course of least resistance and go where ordering is easy. A restaurant’s menu is like the title of a book or article. It may be the only thing a person reads.
While restaurants are obviously not obligated to appeal to every demographic, preference, and dietary choice, Ashley and Adam’s story made me think about why it’s in a restaurant’s interests to label the dishes that are veganizable and put at least one interesting vegan option on the menu.
Vegan Menu