How Vegan Restaurants Can Broaden Their Appeal

Article contributed by Andriana Moskovska, HealthCareers

The number of people switching to vegetarian or vegan diets is increasing, with almost 40% of Americans trying to embrace a vegan lifestyle. Consumers choose to do this for many reasons, such as opting for healthier choices or caring for the environment. 

The number of people going vegan has increased from 1% in 2014 to 6% in 2017 in the US. With a higher number of vegans, there are also more vegan options available. There is a more significant number of vegan restaurants now than ever before. Only in the US, there are 1,474 exclusively vegan restaurants. Maybe the US is not the leading country in the world when it comes to veganism, but the demand for more vegan and vegetarian-based food is on the rise.

Are Vegan Restaurants Necessary?

Nowadays, there is more public awareness of the food we consume than before. The reason behind that lies in people’s perception of the world around them. We live in the information age, and it is incredibly easy to gather information about a particular movie, a person’s lifestyle, or the environment. Because of the latter, people are learning more about how veganism affects our environment positively. 

Taking the environment as one of the choices for going vegan, aside from animal safety and healthier life choices, it has probably crossed your mind that veganism could maybe be a better option for your health. And if you are concerned about the lack of possibilities that a vegan lifestyle may bring, there is no need to be. There are plenty of options.

Vegan restaurants are becoming a necessity. More and more cities around the world are embracing veganism and offering vegan restaurants and shops. Not that traditional restaurants are taking a step back, just on the contrary—they are embracing this trend. 

Traditional Restaurants

Traditional restaurants that serve a variety of meals are slowly taking on the ongoing trend of veganism and vegetarianism. With an increased number of millennials going vegan or vegetarian, many traditional restaurants are offering vegan-friendly options for every food category. Simply adding a couple of different salad options does not cut it anymore. 

Consumers are tired of the stereotypical food choices that traditional restaurants are offering to non-meat eaters. Some upscale restaurants are now offering separate menus for vegan or vegetarian consumers. These menus provide different options from vegan burgers, vegan crepes, vegan Italian and Vietnamese cuisine, and more.

Traditional restaurants can capitalize on offering diverse vegan and vegetarian meals. They are willing to update their menus with specifically designed dishes that are not a generic choice. Of course, some vegans refuse to dine in non-vegan restaurants, and that is where vegan-based restaurants come into play. 

Vegan Restaurants 

The number of vegan restaurants in the US is increasing, especially in metropolitan cities like New York and Los Angeles. There are 111 and 49 fully vegan restaurants, respectively. These cities, among others, have become vegan-friendly. 

These two cities managed to get to the top of the list, next to London and Berlin, by offering multiple vegan options. Attracting new customers is not that easy, especially when you take competition into account. It is necessary always to be innovative and creative with your offers. That can be a demanding task, but here are some exciting ways to do that.

Restaurants that are solely based on one type of food can make a considerable profit and be just what the vegan community needs. Shops that offer only vegan donuts or vegan pizzas are popping up everywhere. These shops could give vegan restaurant owners some ideas they could add to their menus. 

What Is Vegan Like Around the World?

Vegans are looking for more than just basic food choices. Diverse food options are a must if vegan restaurants plan to stay open for long. They should invest more in ideas and create something that other restaurants do not offer. There are plenty of vegan restaurants based on foreign country cuisines. 

In Los Angeles, you can come across Ethiopian, Cuban, and Mediterranean vegan restaurants. These kinds of options are necessary for a healthy and balanced vegan diet. LA is becoming one of the must-see places for vegan travelers solely based on its variety of food choices. The City of Angels offers 19 Thai vegan restaurants, a vegan cheese-dedicated restaurant, a gourmet vegan Japanese restaurant, and so much more. And if you are in a hurry, you can swing by a vegan bakery or a vegan cinnamon bun shop.

If you are planning to move to the East Coast, New York is the city in the US with the highest number of choices for vegans. You can find anything that you can imagine in NYC. From high-end restaurants that offer fine vegan dining to a grab-and-go dish. Vegan Asian fusion places are becoming a trend in the Big Apple, along with Caribbean cuisine.

On the other hand, you have vegan smoothie shops, vegan sweets shops, and raw dessert shops. The options are endless.

Across the pond, the United Kingdom has a bit more options, with 11,000 vegan and vegetarian restaurants in the country. There you can find anything from the traditional English breakfast vegan-style to vegan chicken shops, plant-based restaurants, and much more. 

Bangkok is also a popular destination and a vegan-friendly city on the rise. What Bangkok has to offer is a bit influenced by Western cuisine that is mixed with local food and ingredients. So, you can find inspiration in dishes like garlic and pepper tofu and Burmese tea leaf salad. Raw cakes are also famous in Thailand, so there is an abundance of vegan raw cakes and sweets. 

Creative and Innovative Ideas Everywhere

There are not a lot of reasons to wonder whether vegan restaurants can keep their appeal. Innovative and exciting ideas are everywhere, and they are not difficult to find. Restaurant owners worldwide are coming up with different recipes and creations every day. 

If you are at a loss for keeping your restaurant afloat and you need a couple of fresh ideas to attract new customers and retain the old ones, worry not. Inspiration is anywhere you look. Compelling ingredients, fusion foods, and international tastes can sometimes be risky, but keep in mind that people are always looking forward to trying something new.