There are more vegan restaurant-goers than ever. This creates new opportunities for business owners. Here’s what to know before opening a vegan restaurant.
If you follow a vegan lifestyle, you know that it isn’t always easy finding options when you go out to eat. Plant-based meals at restaurants tend to only consist of salads, and even then many of the options still have meat- or cream-based dressings.
At times like these, you can either accept your available options, or you can work to create another option for you and others. The best way to do that is by opening your own eating establishment—but running a business isn’t easy. This is what to know about starting a vegan restaurant.
Costs Are Higher Than Other Restaurants
Getting fresh, organic vegetables can cost quite a bit. Additionally, the ingredients go bad more quickly, meaning you may need to buy them more often. It helps to get a dedicated supplier who you know can get you quality ingredients on a consistent basis.
Another way of mitigating restaurant costs is to identify other places where you will need to spend money, such as:
Utilities
Costs of printing menus
Technology
Marketing
Kitchen equipment upkeep
From here, you can find ways to mitigate these costs. For example, you can encourage guests to look at the menu virtually. Or you can consider focusing on repairing equipment rather than replacing it if the equipment is still less than 10 years old.
Menu Is Everything
Your food is what will keep customers coming back to your restaurant, so your menu’s focus is something you should know before starting your vegan restaurant.
Here are some concepts to keep in mind for a crowd-pleasing spread:
Focus on combing more traditional items, like salads, with more experimental items
Find veggie alternatives for popular non-vegan items like ice cream or beef
Consider featuring seasonal meals when certain fruits and vegetables are in season
Try changing the menu regularly
When in doubt, you can always ask for customer feedback on current menu items, while keeping an ear out for types of meals that are popular in the vegan world.
You Have to Know Your Market
The vegan lifestyle has grown more and more popular in recent years, but it’s still considered a relatively niche market. Because of that, strategy is essential when choosing where to put your restaurant and how you market it.
Since buying a plant-only diet is expensive, vegan restaurants tend to do well in areas that are more affluent. Areas around college campuses may also do well, considering college students and those with a college education are often more environmentally minded.
