Question for fellow vegans and vegetarians...?

Question

Did you ever go to a restaurant where there was NOTHING vegan- or vegetarian-friendly on the menu? How often? It sometimes happens to me and it is SO annoying!

Absolutely true, I do understand that there are nearly always vegetarian-friendly meals in most restaurants. But this question is based on the restaurants that DON'T offer a suitable eating choice, apart from just a side-salad, etc.

Answer 1

I see a few, i move on. Its not annoying, i don't have some "right" to expect them to cater for me, they make thier choices, and i make mine. if they don't want my money, there are plenty that do, i've no problem with that.

I do find it frustrating when they try to offer things like extended starters, or a meat meal without the meat. It shows little imagination.

There are some great veggie places out there with not a piece of pasta in sight - i try to frequent those, they deserve success.

Answer 2

Sometimes, more often vegan than vegetarian. I am not actually a vegan, but i dont do dairy, and i recently went to a restaurant that was supposed to be very veg friendly, with about half the menu being meatless and all of it being organic and there wasnt a single dish that didnt contain cheese. I have no problem asking for no cheese, it just seems like at a place like that you would think there would be something. Anyway, in most instances i can usually put something together with alacart side dishes and salads and things. It is not fun, it takes longer to order, and you feel silly when they bring you 3 or 4 small plates, but it can be done.

Answer 3

When it is a plan, I always check out the restaurant's menu online (if it's available). Therefore I won't look so lost when it's time for me to order. I've found that most restaurants are veg-friendly. Even Cheesecake Factory and Dave & Buster's have a couple vegan dishes.

Answer 4

Most of the places I go have veg menu's. If I know that I am going to a restaurant that I have never been to before i google the menu. If it's spur of the moment thing and I cant find anything on the menu I ask the cook, 9 times out of 10 they can make something for you.

Answer 5

When I was l/o veg, I never found a place that didn't have something.

Now that I'm vegan, I've found very, very, very few places where I couldn't find something. Most places I can at least make do with salad, a fruit plate, and/or fries.

A vegan may not find a big elaborate vegan meal, but they will usually find something.

Answer 6

I'm a vegan but I realize restaurants usually serve people who want to eat meat and cheese so I'll eat bread or crackers and an iceberg salad and eat later.

I've gotten used to paying $5 for iceberg lettuce and vinegar but that's the way it is.

Spending the money is worse than eating the "meal".

Answer 7

Most places I go to have at least one vegetarian entree on the menu at any given time...sometimes more. If they don't, then I just don't go there.

Vegans though would probably have more trouble....even most of the vegetarian meals I get aren't at vegan at all.

Answer 8

There's a deli in the building where I work. The office manager wanted to have lunch with my team on Wednesday, and when she wants to do a gathering, this is where we go because it's close--but there is nothing I can have there. And then she'll feel bad because I can't eat anything. Well, pick a place where I CAN have something.

If I can, I make sure I eat ahead of time. And that's what I did in this case.

Answer 9

Try traveling....its painful! In Iran I ordered a vegetarian pizza and when it came it had bologna on it. I asked how they felt it was a vegetarian pizza and they said "It has vegetables!". Sigh.

Now I live in the West Indies....I think the majority of the restaurants are unfriendly to our kind.

Answer 10

Not a vegetarian myself, but just a hint.... many restaurants have vegetarian menus, but not all. A little research might go a long way, that way you have the "lay of the land" before you go...