Demand for restaurant plant-based dishes is increasing every year in most Western countries. For foodservice operators, this offers an opportunity: to reduce your restaurant’s carbon footprint and reap the benefits of doing so.
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Ingredient
Cooking for Cash-Ideas
Question:
How to encourage restaurant plant-based dishes?
Answer:
Demand for plant-based options is increasing every year in most Western countries. For foodservice operators, this offers an opportunity to reduce your restaurant’s carbon footprint and reap the benefits of doing so.
So, how can your business pivot to meet rising consumer demand, without negatively impacting your brand identity or bottom line?
What to consider?
1. Offer a wider selection.
Increasing the number of meat-free options on a menu — also known as a ‘plant-forward’ selection — not only provides more choices for those on a vegetarian and vegan diet but may also have a positive effect on consumer perceptions of plant-based meals.
By suggesting that plant-based meals are a ‘normal’ choice, rather than a niche one, research suggests that this may make meat-eaters more comfortable with choosing a plant-based meal.
2. Step into their shoes.
Think about what matters to consumers. Studies show that taste is the most important factor in choosing a plant-based meal, followed by ‘healthiness, environmental friendliness, filling/satiating capacity and animal welfare’.
Bear these influences in mind when writing your menu descriptions. Ensure plant-based dishes are more than an afterthought; today’s consumer expects meat-free dishes to be crafted with creativity and care.
3. Menu design matters.
Menu design can contribute to the uptake of plant-based meals in foodservice; one study showed that a considered ‘nudge’ strategy resulted in 85% of participants choosing the dish of the day — all that was required was a box to make this option stand out.
Used to promote meat-free meals, this is a simple but valuable way in which foodservice can encourage sustainable choices.
4. Tell the story.
As with all your brand communications, storytelling is an important way to connect with your customers. Be sure to tell the story behind your plant-based options, highlighting provenance and emphasising the environmental benefits of reducing meat consumption.
5. Keep it familiar.
While creativity is important, familiar flavours still resonate. Make sure at least one of your plant-based options is a meat-free twist on something that’s instantly recognisable — and non-threatening for less adventurous eaters.
Think vegetarian versions of lasagne or burgers; ‘faux meat’ is a useful ingredient in this context.
Use positive framing. Base menu descriptions on the positive attributes of the dish in question (made from plants, plant-powered, plant-based, veggie, high in plant protein) rather than what it doesn’t contain (meatless, meat-free, reduced meat).
You may even wish to do away with labels such as ‘healthy’, ‘vegan’ and ‘vegetarian’ altogether, focusing instead on descriptions of flavour, texture and provenance — just as you would for dishes containing meat or fish.
It’s no secret that the rearing of livestock contributes more greenhouse gas emissions than the production of any other food. Reducing the consumption of meat and dairy is one of the most significant ways in which individuals can minimise their own personal carbon footprint. (Source: Restaurant & Catering Association: Sustainability & Environment – Nutritics, Sep 15, 2022).
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