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The vegan industry is seeing a continuous rise. People are taking much interest in plant-based food items. It’s not just vegans and vegetarians responsible for the same. Even omnivores nowadays also want to include more vegetable-based dishes in their diet.
Keeping this in mind, how about adding vegan options to your menu? Undoubtedly, it is a wonderful idea. It can increase your customer base. And if you want the same, we are here to help. You have to stay updated with the food trends. But there is more to it. And what is that?
Let’s find out the things to consider while designing a vegan-friendly menu that your customers will surely fall in love with.
Use plant-based alternatives
The first step toward designing a vegan menu is to get animal products replaced with plant-based alternatives. You don’t have to start from scratch. There are many meat and dairy substitutes found in the market. For instance – vegan milk, butter, beans, and tofu, to name a few. All these ingredients will make it easy for you to create vegan versions of popular non-vegan dishes. It is a common myth that being vegan means only including vegetable-only dishes. No wonder adding vegetables is a healthy option. But you can combine them with nuts, soy-based products, and seeds to make the dishes more appealing.
Add a twist
Always keep a tab on your menu whether the items in it are in demand or not. Find out which dishes you can eliminate or which ones you can upgrade to make the space for vegan items. Thinking you need to find new products for vegan options? You don’t need to. Simply give a new twist to your existing items, and you will be good to go. Substitute meat with plant-based alternatives. For instance – replace meat with tofu, jackfruit, or quinoa, and cow’s milk can be replaced with soy milk or almond milk. Likewise, think of such items to give a twist to your menu.
Following news and resources of the restaurant industry
Veganism is a growing trend. Keeping up with the news, restaurant resources, and the latest trends in vegan food, you can create a menu for vegans and non-vegans at the same time. It is no wonder that vegan cuisine differs from traditional cuisine. Learning about vegan ingredients and cooking techniques can give you an edge over your competitors. Collect information about vegan certifications and labels. Don’t forget marketing your restaurants in terms of promoting your vegan menu. Take the help of several marketing initiatives to reach a wider audience.
Protein dishes
Many people hold the belief that vegan people just survive on lettuce and broccoli. But that is not the case. Plant-based proteins satisfy the cravings of vegans. It is not wrong to say that a dish entirely made with vegetables is not appealing to anyone. Thus, build protein dishes instead of meat. Some food items that can be the star of your menu are – Tofu, lentils, beans, chickpeas, etc. You can also include frozen veggie burgers in your menu. Do you know what the one thing that most diners look for in restaurants is? They are looking for food items they can’t make at home. So, offer different plant-based proteins to let your vegan menu be successful.
Update the POS system
Always keep your servers in good condition so that customers can add special requests without facing any difficulty. Update the point of sale system to account for substitutions and changes. It will keep the request clear when they reach the kitchen. Including the “make it vegan” button will automatically provide the kitchen staff with instructions not to include any dairy-based product in a dish. The better the kitchen staff understands your requests, the better your food will be.
Always ask for feedback
Do you ask your customers about the feedback every time? If not, make it a habit to collect feedback from everyone. Surveying the guests helps you understand the current demand of the market. It further helps you in developing a new menu. Run online polls, ask them personally, email your potential customers, and find out what dishes they want to see on your vegan menu. And as you introduce those dishes, update them about the same. Whenever any customer orders those dishes, ask them about their taste and suggestions on how you can improve it.
To make a long story short
Making a vegan-friendly restaurant is not limited to just a menu. You have to keep coming up with plant-based alternatives and also lay some groundwork. Train your staff and update your POS system to make it easy to accommodate alternative diets in your restaurant. After all, it couldn’t be more right when Gary L. Francione said –
Veganism is not a “sacrifice.” It is a joy.
