Are Vegan Restaurants the Next Big Food Trend?
Veganism, defined as not consuming or using animal byproducts, has gone mainstream of late. It is no longer entirely acceptable to ignore vegans when designing your restaurant, and some established joints such as Gigi Pizzeria in Sydney, Australia, have gone meat free. In fact, vegan and vegetarian restaurants are raking in the bucks. Vegan chain Veggie Grill is expanding nationwide and Next Level Burger is taking on McDonald’s with a traditional fast food menu…without the meat.
What does this mean for most establishments? Whilst going plant-based is always an option, especially as it can drop costs, it has not worked for everyone. Blue Casa in Arlington, Texas, did not survive making the switch, for example, although that might be as much as anything else because of being in a state known for animal agriculture. Despite this, many vegan and vegetarian restaurants have no problems attracting omnivorous clients, especially if they frame their menu as “healthy” rather than talking overly much about animal rights.
A better approach for many restaurants is to offer a vegan menu or clearly-marked vegan options. This is working well for major chains including Chipotle, The Cheesecake Factory and even Denny’s. Hotel restaurants should take particular note, especially hotels that run a lot of conferences with programming into the evenings. In this case, not having solid vegan offerings can result in negative reviews and even losing an event. One last thing to consider is that tofu and other meat substitutes are often made with soy, which while healthy for most clients, is an allergen and interacts with certain medications. Another popular substitute, Seitan, is heavy on the gluten. For this reason, plant-based proteins need to be clearly labeled for customers, and more unusual meat substitutes can help.
For the future? Restaurants should consider all the factors before going meat-free, but the climate is such that a restaurant who’s only vegan option is a salad without dressing is likely to be left behind. The meat-free trend is growing, with even people who are not vegetarian choosing to go meat-free one or two days a week. Vegan menus are not just appreciated by those with strong ethics, but by people who worry about their health and the environment or just want to try something different.
Sources:
https://www.thisisinsider.com/vegan-options-restaurants-2018-7
