The Plant-Based Trend

You may have heard the term plant-based diet and been wondering, what exactly does this mean? Who exactly is adopting this diet? And how should my restaurant be prepared to serve these customers?

Plant-based diets are different from vegetarianism and veganism. Someone eating a plant-based diet is eating most of their nutrition from plants, but may still consume animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs. Decidedly different from veganism, those eating a plant-based diet are likely to do so for the known health benefits rather than ethical quandaries. Beyond these plant-based eaters, Nielsen states about 6% of Americans have adopted a vegetarian lifestyle, and 3% are vegans. Collectively, these groups have buying power that will influence whether or not they dine at your restaurant.

Assess your menu

The easiest way to cater to these special diets is by first assessing your menu. You can differentiate yourself as plant-based, vegan, and vegetarian friendly by marking these items on your menu. With a simple icon denotation, you can highlight dishes that are plant-based, or can be substituted as vegetarian or vegan dishes.

Create new menu items from classics

You can also work to create new items for your menu that are plant-based. The easiest place to start would be to take a dish that’s a customer favorite and make a plant-based option. For example, if your restaurant offers a charcuterie board full of meat and dairy, you can create a custom vegan option with vegan cheeses, and a variety of seasonal vegetables with house-made spreads and dips.

Create a feature menu or promotion

You can also create a dedicated feature menu or promotional menu to highlight plant-based dishes on your menu or new specials. Promotions can be a great way to both increase your sales and attract new customers. Many restaurateurs experience slow days, but you can combat this and drive traffic to your restaurant with promotions. If Mondays are slow, consider doing a ‘Meatless Monday’ special where all plant-based dishes are sold at a slight discount, or as an enticing date-night combo. You get increased sales from these promotions, and you are also attracting a new customer base to your restaurant!

If you’re interested in learning about how to market your restaurant’s plant-based dishes and create promotions to increase your sales, contact us! We’d be happy to help you make your restaurant marketing dreams a reality. Contact us today or call (386) 627-3628 for a consultation!