By Leo Clarke, Contributor
As a restaurant owner, understanding various dietary preferences is crucial for catering to a diverse customer base and enhancing your restaurant’s culinary appeal. The term "flexitarian" is a blend of "flexible" and "vegetarian," and as such, it describes individuals who primarily consume plant-based foods but occasionally include animal products in their diet.
Any restaurateur keen to have a thriving business should know a few important things about flexitarian diets, such as what makes them unique and why people choose them. To help keep you up to speed, we break down some key things to remember in this article.
Flexitarian isn’t Vegetarian
It can be hard to keep up with the various plant-based diets that have become popular in recent years. While vegetarian and vegan diets have been practiced for thousands of years, flexitarianism is a fairly new term. However, it’s important for restaurant owners to know exactly what it means to follow a flexitarian diet, so that they can cater to their diners effectively.
In essence, a flexitarian is a ‘casual’ vegetarian. For the most part, they stick to a plant-based diet, but they may eat meat occasionally too. For restaurant owners, this means it’s important to have a variety of plant-based dishes available to their customers – so flexitarian diners can choose between meat and plant-based options. It’s also behooves owners to have plant-based dishes where guests can add meat, if desired.
Flexitarianism Can Have Different Motivations
There are different reasons people choose plant-based diets. For many, much like veganism, eating animal products presents an ethical concern. A flexitarian diet allows people to do their bit to help reduce the demand for animal products and meat, while still allowing them to get the nutrients they need from meals if push comes to shove.
Similarly, some people choose to avoid meat for religious reasons, to improve their health, or to consume a more sustainable, planet-friendly diet.
With this in mind, restaurant owners should always approach their consumers’ dietary choices with sensitivity. People can have deep-rooted beliefs about the foods they should and shouldn’t eat, so it’s important to always be respectful of their choices while sticking to your core competencies. The more your can cater to various dietary restrictions or preferences, the wider your guest pool will be.
Flexitarian Diets are Growing in Popularity
Along with pescetarian, vegetarian and vegan diets, flexitarian diets are becoming a popular choice for people who want to consume less red meat and poultry. However, while flexitarianism is becoming more widespread, it’s still a less saturated market than the meat industry.
Restaurant owners can take advantage of this as a way to cater to the plant-based niche and grow their consumer base.
Remember, people following a flexitarian diet will be likely to do lots of research on the restaurants that suit their needs prior to booking a place to eat. You want to ensure that you’re at the top of the list for plant-based diners travelling from out of town, so make sure your digital presence reflects your mission and offerings as a business.
What to Avoid and How to Get it Right
There’s one thing restaurant owners often get wrong – catering to only one type of plant-based diet, with few menu options to choose from. If you want to get it right, it’s important to remember that a vegetarian may be interested in dishes that contain dairy products like eggs and cheese, while a pescatarian may wish to opt for a seafood dish.
Restaurant owners often take a one-size-fits-all approach, catering to vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and flexitarian diets with just one totally plant-based dish. This often can lead to not catering to any of them instead of all of them.
Stuck for ideas? Every successful restaurateur conducts market research to ensure they’re giving their diners what they want. For a top tip, consider collaborating with suppliers and other restaurant professionals with knowledge of different types of diets, to improve your offerings and attract more customers.
Also don’t forget to tap your inhouse experts – your kitchen staff. They may be able to come up with fun idea. Also talking to your guests about the various dietary approaches they take can give you insight into how to best serve them locally.
