Austin is NOT vegan friendly... (Howe: fit in, transfer, high school)

[verybadgnome]

Also try Casa De Luz and Counter Culture.

[McJ]

Both great places!

Originally Posted by verybadgnome

Also try Casa De Luz and Counter Culture.

[hoffdano]

Originally Posted by luksky

I would suspect that Austin is doing it's best to accommodate those with a minority palate so give it credit. After all, Austin is in Texas...the Moo Cow capitol of the U.S.

"Austin" isn't a single entity. I know I'm being picky about words, but if individual business owners, not "Austin," think they can make a living serving vegan food, over time the choices for vegan restaurants will increase.

I would probably choke on my hamburger if for some reason the city of Austin itself decided it needed to "do something" to increase the number of vegan restaurants.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Given that vegans constitute 2% of the population, do you think the percentage of restaurants in Austin offering vegan options is about that, less, or more, as a percentage of the available options for non-vegans (which includes vegetarians, who constitute 7% of the population)? Thinking of this from the standpoint of a business that has to have a large enough pool of customers to draw from, and a restaurant that offers vegan options along with food for a wider range of customers being more likely to stay in business long-term than one that offers only vegan food for that reason.

I think your assessment of the business situation is correct. The market supports the paying customers it has.

The most recent Gallop Survey on this topic reported that 5% of Americans self-identify as Vegetarians, down slightly from the 6% reported in previous years.

Bottom Line
Vegetarianism in the US remains quite uncommon, and a lifestyle that is neither growing nor waning in popularity. The 5% of the adult population who consider themselves to be vegetarians is no larger than it was in previous Gallup Surveys conducted in 1999 and 2001. The incidence of veganism is evan smaller, at a scant 2% of the adult population.

In U.S., 5% Consider Themselves Vegetarians

[buffettjr]

Originally Posted by alexiana

PETA recently named Austin the nations most "vegan friendly" city and this really has me scratching my head because as a vegan, I do not feel Austin is a great city for vegans at all.

Sure there's a raw vegan restaurant, a couple of vegetarian places, and a handful of high-sodium, high cholesterol vegan trailers, but other than that, there's really not much else. The vast majority of restaurants serve dishes laden with animal products, and most make a big deal about modifying dishes to accommodate vegans.

Again, I think Austin's PR campaign has simply gotten out of control.

It sounds to me like you're defining vegan friendly as "blocking everyone else from being able to eat meat" whereas everyone else is defining vegan friendly as "providing more vegan places, or vegan options at regular restaurants, than other towns".

[Trainwreck20]

^yeah, was wondering if that might be a bit of the situation - vegan 'friendly' does not mean non-vegan unfriendly. Also, the comment "most make a big deal about modifying dishes to accommodate vegans" kind of rubs me the wrong way a bit. I worked in the restaurant business for many years, and your 'simple' request is not usually so simple. Yes, adding an item to or from a meal is relatively easy, but modifying how they cook it is not. If they have vegan dishes, order them. If they are not vegan dishes, then do not order them (or go to a different restaurant). Asking them to not use certain oils or not use broth, etc. is a huge pain in the arse for the kitchen and crew, which has been specifically set up to make items that are on the menu. It can even result in everyone else's meal getting slowed down or messed up.

Not to say that you can't ask, but the restaurant telling you they cannot do something does not mean they are not vegan friendly, but rather that they understand their limitations.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Not to say that you can't ask, but the restaurant telling you they cannot do something does not mean they are not vegan friendly, but rather that they understand their limitations

You mean, if I go to John Mueller Meat Company, I can't ***** when they don't have a vegan option?

PS - to the OP: I know John. He's the guy in the black shorts, beard and sun glasses. I would recommend - if you are ever in this position - that you NOT complain to him about the lack of vegan options on his menu.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Not to say that you can't ask, but the restaurant telling you they cannot do something does not mean they are not vegan friendly, but rather that they understand their limitations.

Exactly. The average restaurant patron who has never worked in a restaurant thinks that when they place an order the kitchen starts cooking their food... but in fact, a good part of the meal they ordered was prepared earlier in the day, or even a day or two earlier. The sauces, the sides, even components of the main course are assembled while the main item is being cooked... or finished, if it was parcooked or precooked in any way.

To ask for changes in any of that can require backing all the way up to the raw ingredients, involving more time and energy and effort. Some restaurants can do that, some cannot.

But if they decline your request, it usually has more to do with the fact that they are declining to customize the meal, NOT that they are declining to customize the meal because you are vegan. Some restaurants just have a policy of not making ANY changes. It's nothing personal.

[scm53]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Exactly. The average restaurant patron who has never worked in a restaurant thinks that when they place an order the kitchen starts cooking their food... but in fact, a good part of the meal they ordered was prepared earlier in the day, or even a day or two earlier. The sauces, the sides, even components of the main course are assembled while the main item is being cooked... or finished, if it was parcooked or precooked in any way.

Precisely. The five mother sauces, along with much of the mise en place, if not impossible to prepare in a vegan method, is extremely difficult.

[TexasHorseLady]

Wait. I just registered that it's PETA who made this designation. I wouldn't trust PETA if they told me the sky is blue, based on interactions with their headquarters (anyone who can in all seriousness say, "We said it! THAT's our documentation that it's true. How much do you want to donate?" loses credibility with me and it gets worse from there) and Ingrid Newkirk even bragged for publication that truth is only 10%, at most, of their "recipe". So why would anyone believe them one way or the other on anything at all?