How important is it for restaurants to provide vegan and vegetarian options?
We have silent customers turn down visits because there aren’t enough veggie options on the menus. Searches for vegan restaurants in the UK have tripled over a four-year period, from 60,000 in 2017 to over 200,000 in 2020, highlighting the rising interest in plant-based dining options
Food that doesn’t contain bits of animals isn’t a fad. And don’t assume that a roasted cauliflower or butternut squash curry has that box ticked either. I’m a meat eater who enjoys plant-based dishes, and even I’m sick of seeing these same dishes on so many menus. It’s like the bloody samphire movement that appeared to grip the nation a while back. Every single dish with a sea creature on it would be accompanied by this horrid, green, stringy stuff. Even those who did like it found themselves longing for mushy peas. There’s no excuse for boring vegan and veggie dishes these days. There just isn’t!
In the UK, the proportion of individuals identifying as vegan or vegetarian has increased significantly over the past five years. If you believe that they are not a big enough proportion of your customer base at only 6%, please consider that they do not travel in packs by themselves. They travel with considerate meat eaters who book restaurants that cater for their vegan friends, colleagues and loved ones.
Statistics 2024:
- Vegans: Approximately 2.5 million UK adults, representing 4.7% of the population, follow a vegan diet.
- Vegetarians: Around 3.1 million individuals, or 5.8% of the population, identify as vegetarians.
Trends Over the Past Five Years:
- Vegan Population Growth: The number of vegans has risen from about 1.4 million (2.5% of the population) in 2023 to 2.5 million (4.7%) in 2024, indicating a substantial increase.
- Vegetarian Population Trends: The vegetarian population has seen slight fluctuations, with a decrease from 3.4 million (6.5%) in 2023 to 3.1 million (5.8%) in 2024. This suggests that some individuals may have transitioned from vegetarianism to veganism.
If you want to find out what will drive bookings who are looking to accommodate vegan and veggie diets – ask our mystery shoppers!
Get in touch for a FREE consultation with our friendly team of experts. We will find out about your business and let you know how our mystery guest services can help you improve customer satisfaction and grow your business.
