I went to a nonvegan restaurant recently where I was really cared for. In fact, I wasn’t quite used to it. But when I really thought about it, I realized, this is how it should be. Not just because I like to be waited on, but for business. Let me explain.

The usual vegan experience at a restaurant

   Now I don’t usually go to restaurants that often, because it gets expensive and I like to flex my cooking skills and try new things when I can. But also, sometimes it’s not super fun being a vegan at a nonvegan restaurant. You’ll either look up their menu before to make sure of what they have for you or you end up asking a lot of questions and making requests either by calling ahead or talking to your waiter. 

   It really can be an uncomfortable process, especially for me, someone who doesn’t like conflict or making people go out of their way for me. And I’m often more likely to just order the easiest thing instead of what I might really want, so that I don’t come off as asking for too much or confusing my waiter. 

   Not to mention, there aren’t usually that many options on the menu for a vegan—if there are any that you can actually order without making substitutions. This is something that after nine years of veganism, I’m used to by now. But it is boring and disappointing at times. 

Vegans represent more business than you realize

   That being said, why should you care about the vegan experience at your restaurant? You’re not a vegan restaurant and vegans are certainly not your target demographic either, so who cares? If they happen to show up, they just get what they get. 

   Well, I think that attitude is short-sighted. It’s true, there aren’t a lot of vegans. Or even vegetarians, for that matter. But that one weird vegan’s business is worth more than you might, at first brush, realize. 

Veganism is growing

   I think it’s worth noting that in all parts of the world, veganism is growing. That one weird vegan today will be two weird vegans in the future. It’s just the way the statistics are going. And believe me when I say that vegans talk, especially right now. Most vegans these days seem to be involved in social media groups and reviewing apps where they can spread the word about how their business was handled at any particular place. The reason for this is because of what I mentioned above. Often, the vegan experience of restaurants is disappointing or downright upsetting. So we spread the word like wildfire when we find a place that gives us a good experience, to let all the other vegans know that “hey, you can have a good time here.” 

It’s not just that one weird vegan

   But like I said, it’s not just that one weird vegan. As we know, most people don’t go to restaurants alone. They go in groups. Vegans are no different. Whenever I go out to eat with my family or friends, I tend to get a little bit more than my fair share of the say because well, some places just don’t have options for me. If a place is going to be a bad experience for me, the people who I’m with (assuming they care about me, of course) are going to say “oh you’re just going to be drinking a soda on an empty stomach? Well, let’s not go there!” 

   After nine years, I can’t tell you how many places have lost my family and friends’ business because I can’t eat there. For holidays, birthdays, anniversaries or just special days. If I can’t eat there, my sisters, partner, friends, parents, extended family—they’re not going to either. So by losing my business as the one weird vegan, you’re losing a lot of other people’s business. 

How you can take care of vegans

   The restaurant that I went to took super good care of me. Way more than I would have ever even asked for. Two people came back to our table specifically to ask me how my food was, even. On top of it being a good experience. I felt very seen and respected and pampered. (Not used to that, due to being quite a shy person in public.) And believe me when I say next time I’m in the area, they’re on my “yes list” of places. But if you have a nonvegan restaurant, how can you make sure you’re not losing out on that vegan business? Well, I’d love to help you out. Here are some tips to make your place more vegan-friendly.

Have vegan food

   So obviously, the first and foremost thing that you should focus on is making sure there is some vegan food that you can serve. There are many possibilities as far as vegan food goes, but if you’re on the very beginning of this journey, here’s what I can tell you to make it simple. You want to have an option on the menu that is made solely of ingredients of plant origin. (Mushrooms are okay too, they’re technically fungi, but they’re vegan.)

Simply having a vegan option on the menu will set you apart from many other restaurants at this day in age where you have to scrounge around the sides and hope your waiter understands what you’re getting at when you’re saying “no animal products” or give them a list and possibly annoy the crap out of them. Have a vegan option that you can simply order without any fuss. Give me an easy order and you won’t hear from me all night. 

Label your menu

   The biggest thing you can possibly do to help the vegan experience (besides giving me food I can actually eat) at your restaurant is to label your menu. What’s vegetarian, what’s vegan, and what can be made vegan upon request? This streamlines the ordering process so much and makes me feel like less of an inconvenience than when I have to ask “Does this come with cheese? Do you put fish sauce in that?” Over and over again until we figure out how we can meet my dinner needs. I don’t want to annoy your waitstaff–I just want to get a meal. I don’t like having to ask a bunch of questions any more than you like having to listen to them. A bit of research into how your menu items can be made vegan will help tremendously. 

   And make sure to differentiate between vegan and vegetarian. All vegan food is also vegetarian, but not all vegetarian food is vegan. If you simply say “can be made vegetarian” then I’m going to need to know about eggs and dairy. If you say “can be made vegan”, well, we’re off to the races. This sort of menu labeling can also be good for people whose allergies you can accommodate as well. (Just a side thought. Their business also represents more than just themselves, like vegans.)

Have more than one option to choose from

   I don’t know how many times I’ve said “oh, I don’t really want to go there” about a restaurant because I wasn’t in the mood for their one vegan option. It’s not that the option was a bad one. It’s more like in areas where vegan food is scarce, looking at all of the places in the neighborhood where I can eat gives me less options than looking at one menu does for people without dietary restrictions. If I don’t want your one option, again, you lose my group’s business that day.

This is why having a couple different things I can order on your menu is so helpful. If I have a handful of options and I know that, I can have a lot more normal of a restaurant experience and it’s much more of a viable option for me to just say “sure, let’s go there” without having to know exactly what I’ll order beforehand. 

   Not to mention, having different kinds of vegan options helps greatly. There are different kinds of vegans. Junk food vegans, Whole Foods vegans, raw vegans. My advice is to have one dish with a good source of vegan protein and one dish that’s very fresh and Whole Foods based. That’s going to cover the vast majority of vegans, as well as their possible differing moods.

Whether it’s one vegan veggie burger and fries, plus one robust salad at an American style restaurant or a tofu/tempeh based dish plus a vegetable based one at a Chinese restaurant, having one hearty meal and one fresh meal will cover a lot of ground with vegans. It’s also good to learn how to branch out into other options. I think the most options I’ve ever had at a nonvegan restaurant was probably eight, and it made me feel like a queen. Learning how to add new menu options with the ingredients you’re already buying for your restaurant could help you get the most out of your vegan business. 

Give your staff a bit of training

   Put up signs in your kitchen or give your staff a briefing on what different dietary restrictions are and what they mean.  If your waitstaff and cooks know what a vegan is (along with any other dietary restrictions such as kosher, halal, vegetarian, etc), that will make things a lot easier for everyone. You may think “oh that seems like a lot” but it isn’t, really. Food is your business, and it doesn’t hurt to know how to serve it to different people. 

   Plus, remember how vegans talk? Well, when they hear “I asked what’s vegan and they offered me a gluten free steak/grilled cheese/shrimp dish”, that is a big red flag to vegan ears. It makes us think that even if we’re clear about what we need, that some funny business might be going on in your kitchen. And that makes us want to avoid your restaurant if at all possible. 

Thank you!

  So that’s everything! You don’t have to have multiple people specifically ask how I like my food and if everything’s okay. If you make these 4 changes, you’ll stand head and shoulders above the crowd. I just want to say a quick thank you to those who are reading this post. It means a lot to me to know that you’re interested in making your restaurants more vegan friendly. And I would love to give you business in the future if you had these changes made to your establishments. If you’re interested in more vegan content, consider subscribing to the blog. And if you’re vegan, let the restaurants know how they could improve your experience at their establishments in the comments of this post. And whoever you are, have a lovely day.