World Vegetarian Awareness Month
Vegetarian Wellness Month is a great time to try new dishes. Image via Wikipedia
I know I’ve already mentioned this, but October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, kicking off with World Vegetarian Day tomorrow, October1. Odds are, you already offer vegetarian or non-meat options on your restaurant’s menu. But have you considered highlighting them to make them easy to find for vegans or vegetarians?
There are three ways of making meatless dishes easy to locate on a menu: you can either set up a special separate menu for vegans and vegetarians that only includes these options, you can design your menu with a separate vegetarian section within the main menu, or you can simply highlight meatless dishes by printing them in green ink within your regular menu.
The third might be the best option. It clearly identifies meatless meals for vegetarians, and also leaves them up for consideration for omnivores. It’s likely that you have more vegetarian guests than you think, and they’ll love the extra consideration.
Take advantage of Vegetarian Awareness Month to add some new veggie dishes to your menu to showcase fruits and vegetables that are in season now.
As an ominvore, I prefer that vegan and vegetarian options are highlighted in the regular menu rather than listed separately. Why? Because sometime I WANT to order something like a plate full of veggies and beans and rice, no meat, without having the staff look at me like I am “one of those”. Places that highlight the options in the menu rather than listing them separately seem to be better at treating me like a normal person, not “one of those” when I order a vegetarian dish. If I feel that way, how must actual vegetarians feel?
Great comment, Michelle! I’ve never felt strange about ordering a vegetarian/vegan meal, even back when I was vegetarian or vegan. I was always frustrated, however, about having to scan the entire menu to try to find the things I could eat.
And I agree, even now that I do eat meat, there are some days when I just want something vegetarian.