By Briana Hilton, Contributor
A smidge over 9% of restaurants in the United States incorporate vegan meat in their menus, according to one report from the AI platform Tastewise. With the report concluding that plant-based meat appears on foodservice menus 1,320% more than before the coronavirus pandemic, there’s no question that the popularity of such menu items is booming.
That said, here’s why implementing vegan options can be so fruitful for restaurants.
The Hidden Value Behind Restaurant Vegan Options
For restaurants looking to cater to vegans, benefits can range, including further dietary inclusivity (especially if you already have dietary-friendly options on the menu). This, subsequently, will boost your customer base, total sales, and bottom line.
However, before you make this big addition to your menu, it’s important to first understand the reasoning behind why so many people choose to make such a seemingly drastic dietary change.
The 2019 Global Vegan Survey sheds some light on the matter, finding that 68.1% of their survey participants changed to a vegan diet to take a stand against the mistreatment of animals, claiming ethics and concerns about animal welfare as their main reasons for doing so. Another 17.4% changed their diet for health reasons, 9.7% cited motivation by the environment, and 4.8% reported other reasons.
While the reasoning behind an individual’s choice to go vegan can bring restaurant owners some insight on the popularity of a plant-focused diet, restaurants looking to implement such changes should be aware of just how important doing so correctly can be.
“It’s a smart business move for any restaurant to ensure that it caters to these flexitarians as well as the growing number of vegans,” Katrina Fox, founder of Vegan Business Media notes. Katrina further states, “Restaurants also need to be aware that the days of offering bell peppers stuffed with rice and veggies or a lentil patty topped with wilted lettuce are long gone.”
This last bit is thought that can leave many restaurant owners feeling lost in knowing where to start.
Getting Started with Vegan Options
When it comes to implementing a vegan menu, restaurant owners (especially ones who don’t specialize in veggie-focused dishes), can find such an endeavor to be particularly overwhelming.
Start by educating yourself and your staff on what it means to be vegan. Learn about the staples in a vegan diet so you can cater to vegans properly; it will also help you ensure that the right ingredients are used in putting together nutritious vegan options.
From there, select vegan options that fit your brand and allow cross-selling in your menu. This can be key in pulling off a vegan-friendly menu, and seeking out suppliers that provide plant-based foods are recommended when making such a drastic change.
Also be sure to get input via feedback surveys from customers on how well your new vegan menu tastes. This can prove to be essential in knowing what dishes are working and which aren’t, so you can make future adjustments.
The Power in Going Beyond the Plate
Simply adding vegan dishes to your menu might sound like all that’s needed to cater to those with a vegan diet. However, making additional changes beyond your menu can further fuel the mission of becoming a vegan-friendly restaurant.
That said, look to make small yet impactful changes — such as sourcing your produce and furniture locally and reducing food waste via making donations and optimizing your menu — can all work to communicate the message. You should also look to use of eco-friendly decor like biophilic design and energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs.
When looking for eco-friendly decor, setting the ambience of your restaurant can easily be done through the use of candles — though many are known to use animal-derived products such as tallow or fat in the body of the candle, making it less than eco- and vegan-friendly. And, while beeswax candles seem like a great alternative, these too have their downfalls in negatively contributing to the environment through profiting off of the bees’ wax.
Eco-friendly, vegan alternatives such as paraffin or soy wax, however, can be the way to go. While paraffin candles are technically vegan, soy candles are preferable by many as they are natural and 100% paraben free. It’s a great way of using candles and light to create an amazing atmosphere, while still being environmental conscious.
Making vegan-focused changes to a restaurant may seem like a major and stressful undertaking, but it can easily be achieved through small changes that aim to cater to a vegan diet and eco-friendly mindset. While you don’t have to get rid of meat options, incorporating a few vegan dishes — and even some vegan decor — can aid in showing your commitment and diverse options to the vegan community in more ways than one.
