Wasn't meant to be!
Vegetarian Meals In Pubs
- Thread starter Badgers
- Start date
why shouldnt vegetarians be catered for, very well, in pubs?? like the others say, even hardened carnivores enjoy a good vegetarian option!
I read every thing on a menu carefully and tend to 'rate' a place on its veggie options (even though im a meat eater...)
I read every thing on a menu carefully and tend to 'rate' a place on its veggie options (even though im a meat eater...)
editor
hiraethified
Incredibly - nay amazingly - not all meat eaters want to eat meat with every single meal they have. And even more amazingly, veggie dishes can be just as enjoyable as a meat dish to some meat eaters, all of which leaves your point about the percentage of veggies being in any way meaningful looking a little, well, pointless.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
Well in the same wiki article it states 7 - 11% which I think is far more realistic (with references).
In addition, London will have a higher percentage of vegetarians. Brixton being more liberal and lefty will have (I predict) an even higher percentage still....So, a boozer in Brixton would cater for a lot of veggies.
But what are the percentage of veggie meals bought there?
mr steev
magic thought wizard
On wiki, according to one survey in 2009, 3% of people 'are completely vegetarian' (vegan I presume?) The other surveys on wiki reckon it's more like 4 million people which is between 7%-10%, 23% also identify themselves as 'meat-reducers' add to that other demographic factors (eg. a large veggie hindu population) and that's quite a few people
eta: DrRingDing got there first
imagine a governor of a pub going 'Well according to wikipedia, only 3% of the population are vegetarians so you only get two options here im afraid.'
you'd think 'what a complete cock.'
you'd think 'what a complete cock.'
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
Not only that but I know from bitter experience when work has bought pizza in the past they'll look at who's veggie and buy that percentage of pizza veggie. Then all the meat eating fuckers start munching on the veggie pizzas leaving us with diddly squat.....and I like to eat a lot of pizza.
fredfelt
Mostly unknown member
My solution to that is have 100% veggie BBQ's.
I've been doing veggie BBQ's for years. I'm pleased to report that even my ardent meat eaters friends have come around to the idea that you don't need meat to have a delicious BBQ.
Apart from the main point being that there are far less vegetarians than not, so in the same way that a menu doesn't have absolutely every foodstuff anyone could ever order, the same will be true of vegetarian dishes, and proportionately so.
fredfelt
Mostly unknown member
Or when there's a buffet for the veggies they provide quiche and egg sandwiches. You just know the caterers use battery eggs to cut costs.
editor
hiraethified
What's important is not statistics about veggies but the choice offered to pub customers. And as I have already explained, it's not just veggies who eat veggie meals.
cyberfairy
http://unicycle-emptiness.co.uk/
Went to a pub the other day (Station Inn in Kidderminster) and thought of this thread as the pub imo was perfect.
Was a Sunday so only roast dinner option but along with two meat options were two veggie ones to choose from, spinach and ricotta cannelloni or roast butternut squash and butter bean crumble. They were both utterly excellent, freshly made and with fresh herbs and good sauces making what could be a dull meal sensational. They came with a separate dish of cauli cheese and other dishes of buttered fresh veg and the meat eater's meat cooked roasties were served in a different dish to the other roasties and new potatoes that came out. The veggie options were also cheaper than the meat options which were still only 7 quid or something.
Was a Sunday so only roast dinner option but along with two meat options were two veggie ones to choose from, spinach and ricotta cannelloni or roast butternut squash and butter bean crumble. They were both utterly excellent, freshly made and with fresh herbs and good sauces making what could be a dull meal sensational. They came with a separate dish of cauli cheese and other dishes of buttered fresh veg and the meat eater's meat cooked roasties were served in a different dish to the other roasties and new potatoes that came out. The veggie options were also cheaper than the meat options which were still only 7 quid or something.
fredfelt
Mostly unknown member
I really appreciate it when a pub puts on good veggie food. I'm sure it's been said before on this thread but places that don't give any attention to veggie food must loose a lot of business as the whole party, meat eaters included, will be encouraged to go elsewhere. Failure to cater for veggies is probably a good sign that their regular food will be lacklustre.
The Brewery Tap in Abingdon do the best roast for miles. It's very good for meat eaters (roasties cooked in beef fat, proper gravy etc) but they also always put on a special veggie dish. Often home made pie's - if not they'll serve one of those quality Higgidy pies. For the veggies they also have separate roast potatoes, veggie gravy and home made, free range egg, Yorkshire puddings.
cyberfairy
http://unicycle-emptiness.co.uk/
That's really good attention to detail- I never eat anything with egg out as so often catering establishments use battery eggs.
Indeed. But the general point remains. Far more people order meat dishes than vegetarian dishes. Hence places offer far more meat dishes than veggie dishes. It's entirely reasonable. What would you suggest is a sensible ratio of veggie/non-veggie choices?
fredfelt
Mostly unknown member
Another excellent place is The Shoulder of Mutton in Wantage. It's a veggie pub and like the best veggie places it doesn't make a fuss out of only serving veggie food. There's no hippy / health nonsense if you know what I mean. They also brew their own beer and have plenty of ales on at any one time.
I spoke to the owner about the menu. He planned to theme the food around lamb and was looking for a vegetarian dish. He went around the local pubs to see what they offered and found that the vegetarian food on offer was lacking so the omnivore landlord opened a vegetarian pub.
I spoke to the owner about the menu. He planned to theme the food around lamb and was looking for a vegetarian dish. He went around the local pubs to see what they offered and found that the vegetarian food on offer was lacking so the omnivore landlord opened a vegetarian pub.
editor
hiraethified
I'd suggest that 6:3 would be a good starting point for a small pub (with veggie side dishes available). Your stat-spouting logic seems suggest that you think 8-1 would be more suitable. Is that correct?
And, of course, far more meat dishes are going to be consumed if that's all the pub offers (or their veggie choice is a shit one).
cyberfairy
http://unicycle-emptiness.co.uk/
A lot of veggie establishments seem to still be using a Rose Elliot cook book from 1974 or something. The place near us would never have a meat eater thinking, 'oh, I really enjoyed that', as it is cliched earthy (cheap to prepare but not to purchase) lentil and pulse based food with a menu that never changes. Very popular though and some of it is nice but there is a place in Kendal that serves fresh unusual veggie stuff with different salads every time for about six quid.
kittyP
Pluviophile
Thing is, it is tricky if you have say a 20-80 split veggie to meat options.
You often find veggies that don't like mushrooms, or don't like aubergines & courgettes, or don't like certain cheeses, or don't like certain beans etc etc etc.
That makes it tricky to try and offer good food that all veggies will like.
It's really difficult to please everyone.
ETA: Or even a 30-70 split ow whatever.
Looby
Well-Known Member
Yep, I like veggie pizza. The only meat I find acceptable on pizza is pepperoni.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
ddraig
kicking against the pricks...
are you worried about your options decreasing? or just like to enforce majority rule?
Neither. I'm just wondering why anyone thinks a business is going to replace things more likely to be ordered with things less likely to be ordered.
Looby
Well-Known Member
I don't think that's enough, there should be at least 3-4 veggie options on a full menu including one to cater for vegans.
I don't think that's unreasonable.
mr steev
magic thought wizard
But do you think they should replace food that is more likely to be ordered with those options? Or increase the options overall?
ddraig
kicking against the pricks...
again, more likely to be ordered because it is available and places stick to easy options?
