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I get together with a small group of friends at least once a week for dinner. Several are vegan and several are vegetarian.
We often go to local mom-and-pop restaurants as there are several really good ones in our area. Our favorite chain is Chili's. The servers there are always helpful and willing to make substitutions so that we have plenty of choices for vegetarian salads and entrees.
Two weeks ago one person in my group suggested that we go to Applebees, as we hadn't been there for a couple of years or more. We waited for our server long enough that we all had plenty of time to read the menu, and I didn't see any meatless entrees or salads. So when she finally arrived and introduced herself, I asked what vegetarian entrees were available.
She said, "None. Everything has meat." So I asked, nicely, if perhaps one of the pasta dishes could be prepared without meat. She said "No." I asked if the chicken could be omitted from some of the entree salads. "No. They are all prepared with meat." I asked if they had a veggie burger to substitute for the beef burger. "No." She finally told me the only thing for vegetarians on the whole menu was the appetizer Veggie Patch Pizza.
The really funny thing was that there was a statement on the menu saying that Applebees would be happy to modify any food item for those who had any type of food allergy. Maybe we should have said that we were allergic to meat.
So much for Applebees! The next week we decided to try O'Charley's. Once again I didn't see anything vegetarian on the menu, so I asked our server if they had any vegetarian options. She said, very enthusiastically, "We have a turkey burger!!" When I explained to her that we were looking for meatless options, she offered to let us order the kid's grilled cheese meal, even though we were older than 12.
Seriously, how difficult is it to leave the chicken off of the entree salad? Or to prepare a pasta dish with broccoli or whatever the veggie of the day is instead of meat?
When we dine at Chili's they happily modify my salad, leaving out the meat and in fact substituting different veggies for the meat. The last couple times I was there they made a Chicken Quesadilla Explosion salad for me, leaving out the chicken but adding quartered avocados, black olives, tomato slices and peppers on top. It was really a masterpiece salad, and it was obvious that the server and the cook were interested in customer satisfaction.
I hear you, missik! Enjoyed reading about your (mis)adventures.
To me the funniest thing is when Subway has a special of the day. Let's say it's turkey on Wednesdays. The special price can be less than the veggie sub! So some of us have attempted to order the turkey sub special---but ask to hold the meat! You'd think they would be okay with this---a win-win situation. They save money by not putting the meat on! But some Subways have refused to do this....
And of course the veggie sub is never the special of the day because it wouldn't be ordered enough....
One thing to note is that a lot of these major restaurant chains do not actually prepare most of their sauces on site. They are made in either a central or regional factory, and then shipped, frozen, to subsidiaries and franchises.
That's why a dish at one Buca di Beppo in LA tastes the same as another in Seattle!
Because of this, often, it's not as simple as "leaving out the meat," because there's stock in the sauce.
But that said, I've run into that myself: "Can I just get the pasta without the meat?" "No, I'm sorry." "Really? You can't just made the pasta and have marinara on it with no meatballs or anything?" "...well, let me ask the chef." I've also noticed that often, simply asking if you can get it without the meat as opposed to identifying yourself as a vegetarian can help, because a lot of people bristle whne they hear the word "vegetarian" or "vegan," especially in foodservice. A lot of people typify us all as whiney, high-maintenance crybabies who are "too demanding," as I've been told by numerous friends and family members who work in foodservice.
I have a friend who does catering and has a food booth a fairs and festivals. He specializes in vegetarian wraps and other vegetarian offerings. He has made a "niche" in a competitive business...and does very well. Last night....his booth had a line....healthy food....
Amazing those restaurants are alienating customers...
I hear you, missik! Enjoyed reading about your (mis)adventures.
To me the funniest thing is when Subway has a special of the day. Let's say it's turkey on Wednesdays. The special price can be less than the veggie sub! So some of us have attempted to order the turkey sub special---but ask to hold the meat! You'd think they would be okay with this---a win-win situation. They save money by not putting the meat on! But some Subways have refused to do this....
And of course the veggie sub is never the special of the day because it wouldn't be ordered enough....
The Subway locations here advertise $5 Footlongs, several to choose from but the Veggie is never one of them. It makes no sense that the Veggie sub I order costs more than the same thing with meat. I have asked if I could get a $5 Veggie Footlong and have been told only if I order it with meat. I even told an employee once that I would order a roast beef Footlong if he would forget to put the roast beef on. I seldom go to Subway anyway, only when traveling if it is the only available choice. Often the veggies aren't fresh, and it is like pulling teeth sometimes trying to get the "sandwich artist" to put enough veggies on my sandwich.
I've also noticed that often, simply asking if you can get it without the meat as opposed to identifying yourself as a vegetarian can help, because a lot of people bristle whne they hear the word "vegetarian" or "vegan," especially in foodservice. A lot of people typify us all as whiney, high-maintenance crybabies who are "too demanding," as I've been told by numerous friends and family members who work in foodservice.
I have noticed that some servers don't like to hear "vegetarian" or "vegan." Yet if someone states that they are gluten intolerant or allergic to dairy, seafood, etc. the server is anxious to please.
I have taken to carting my vegan parmesan along with me,(made with toasted powdered walnuts, and food yeast flakes) and getting pasta with marinara. I found a great Trader Joe's coffee creamer, vegan, made with a thicker soy concentration than soy milk. I carry a small container with that in it, and my own raw vegan sugar. I learned to do that the hard way. Vegans and vegetarians are often viewed with mild distain. That's okay, we view meat munchers with major distain. Vegans don't support the butchery, and slavery forced on our animal brothers and sisters, and YES, we are animals.
good to know about Chili's. I'll definitely try that. Normally I don't go to chains because as the other poster said, they receive their stuff already mixed and shipped from a central place. I can go to the store to get pre-made factory foods. If I eat out for fun, I want real food made by a real chef.
On the other hand, sometimes we must eat out when traveling on business, etc... In the south, subway is the lesser of the evils. It's a shame they don't make a decent vegetarian sandwich. It would be so easy to do whole grain bread smeared with hummus; layer spinach, red onions, bell peppers, sprouts, avocado, and a nice veganaise or similar. One could add cheese or cream cheese if desired. But the thing that makes the sandwich is the hummus, sprouts, and avocado, imo.
On the other hand, sometimes we must eat out when traveling on business, etc... In the south, subway is the lesser of the evils. It's a shame they don't make a decent vegetarian sandwich. It would be so easy to do whole grain bread smeared with hummus; layer spinach, red onions, bell peppers, sprouts, avocado, and a nice veganaise or similar. One could add cheese or cream cheese if desired. But the thing that makes the sandwich is the hummus, sprouts, and avocado, imo.
Subway, are you listening?
Many of the Subway restaurants had avocado for a limited time last year. They introduced it for one of their specials (turkey bacon sub I think?) and I was very excited, something to add to my veggie sandwich.
So I requested avocado on my veggie sub when the "sandwich artist" was preparing it, and he said, "Oh sorry, that is just for the turkey bacon sub." But it's a vegetable, right?? So when I persisted he said I could add it to my veggie sub but there would be a $1 additional charge. Really? Like they aren't already making enough money on my veggie sub that they are charging more for than the $5 footlong with meat?
...he said I could add it to my veggie sub but there would be a $1 additional charge. Really? Like they aren't already making enough money on my veggie sub that they are charging more for than the $5 footlong with meat?
I know. What subway needs is a little competition. I love the combination of hummus and sprouts. Subway has neither. Most subways are franchises, and owners are allowed to bend the rules a little. I don't get it either.
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