Vegan customers are easy to win, and easy to lose.

When a group is choosing where to eat, the vegan often decides. A few clear, low-cost changes can make your venue their first choice, and the one they recommend to friends.

Check your venue in 2 minutes Get the toolkit

As featured in vegconomist, the vegan business magazine

  1. Vegan-tolerantOne option, often a salad. Nobody planned for them.
  2. Vegan-awareA few labelled options and staff who can check.
  3. Vegan welcomeReal choice, fair pricing and knowledgeable staff.
  4. Vegan championVegan dishes that non-vegans order too.

What vegan customers are looking for

None of this needs a separate kitchen or a fully vegan menu. It's mostly about clarity, choice and a team that knows the answers.

  • Clear labellingA simple VG key on every menu, board and allergen chart, so nobody has to guess.
  • Choice across the menuVegan starters, mains, sides and desserts, with at least two mains to choose from.
  • Creative, appealing dishesFood built to be vegan, not the meat dish with the meat taken out.
  • Fair pricingNo plant milk surcharge, and vegan dishes priced in line with the rest of the menu.
  • Knowledgeable staffA team who know the difference between vegan and vegetarian, and check when unsure.
  • No unnecessary barriersNo pre-ordering where possible, and a vegan option on set menus as standard.
  • Honest kitchen informationStraight answers about shared fryers and grills, so customers can decide for themselves.
  • Vegan extras as standardDairy-free spread, a plant milk, a vegan dessert and vegan-friendly drinks, ready to go.

How does your venue measure up?

Seven quick questions, one for each pillar of the Vegan Customer Standard. Answer honestly and see where you sit today.

ChoiceDo you offer vegan options at every stage of the meal, with at least two vegan mains?
ClarityAre vegan dishes clearly labelled, with a menu key and allergen information on hand?
ConfidenceWould every member of staff on shift know which dishes are vegan, and check if unsure?
CreativityAre your vegan dishes designed to be vegan, rather than other dishes with ingredients removed?
FairnessDo you avoid charging extra for plant milk, and price vegan dishes in line with the rest of the menu?
CandourCan staff answer honestly about shared fryers, grills and what the kitchen can guarantee?
CompletenessHave you thought about vegan sides, sauces, desserts, drinks and extras, not just the mains?

Quick wins that cost very little

Most of the difference between a vegan-tolerant venue and a vegan welcome one comes down to a handful of small changes.

Add a VG key

Label vegan dishes on every menu and board. It saves your staff questions and your customers guesswork.

Drop the plant milk charge

A small surcharge is one of the things vegan customers mention most. Removing it sends a clear signal.

Brief the team

A one-page list of vegan dishes and what's in the stocks, sauces and breads, kept where staff can see it.

Add a second vegan main

One option isn't a choice. A second main gives regulars a reason to come back.

Don't forget dessert

A single good vegan dessert keeps the whole table ordering, rather than asking for the bill.

Be straight about fryers

"The chips share a fryer with fish" is a perfectly good answer. Customers value honesty over guesswork.

The Vegan Customer Business Toolkit

Everything your team needs to welcome vegan customers.

Written by a vegan of over ten years, from the customer's side of the table. Score your venue with the full 40-point audit, find out exactly what to fix first, and give your team the answers vegan customers ask for.

  • The full 40-point audit across all seven pillars of the Vegan Customer Standard
  • A printable staff cheat sheet, supplier ingredient checklist and 30-day action plan
  • Menu wording examples and ready-made answers for front-of-house

Written by Naomi Jardine, founder of Your Vegan Customer

Buy the toolkit for £79 22-page A4 PDF, instant download.
Licensed for your whole business, with printable pages.
The Vegan Customer Business Toolkit: the cover, with the 40-point audit and staff cheat sheet pages behind it

What's inside

Thirteen practical sections, written for UK restaurants, cafés and pubs.

  1. Hello, I'm NaomiWhy I made this, and how to use it
  2. Why vegan customers matterThe vegan veto, loyalty and word of mouth
  3. The Vegan Customer StandardFour levels and seven pillars
  4. The 40-point audit PrintableScore your venue honestly, pillar by pillar
  5. Your score and where to startWhat your result means and what to fix first
  6. The seven pillars in practiceWhat good looks like, quick fixes and what to watch out for
  7. Hidden animal ingredients PrintableA supplier and kitchen checklist
  8. Menu wording that worksBefore and after examples
  9. The staff cheat sheet PrintableFill it in, print it, pin it up
  10. Say it like thisAnswers to the questions vegans always ask
  11. Getting found by vegan customersYour website, Google, HappyCow and social
  12. Your 30-day action plan PrintableFour weeks, quick wins first
  13. What nextRe-auditing, feedback and the Vegan Champion review

Want help becoming a vegan champion?

We're working with restaurants, cafés and pubs on reviews against the Vegan Customer Standard, with a Vegan Champion badge for venues that earn it. Leave your details and we'll be in touch, or see how Vegan Champion reviews work.

Naomi Jardine

Hi, I'm NaomiI've been vegan for over ten years and eaten out all over the UK and beyond. I'll look at your venue the way your vegan customers do.Connect with Naomi on LinkedIn

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Free guides for venues

Practical, no-nonsense help for getting vegan customers through the door. See all six guides

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Crowd-pleasing vegan dishes from breakfast to the Sunday roast, using ingredients you probably already stock.

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Is your menu vegan-friendly? The 10-point check

Ten honest questions, a score you can see straight away, and a printable version for your next team meeting.

Take the check →

Questions

Do we need a fully vegan menu?

No. Plenty of venues reach vegan welcome or vegan champion with a mixed menu. What matters is real choice, clear labelling and staff who know the answers.

Is vegan the same as allergen-free?

No. A vegan dish contains no animal products, but it can still contain allergens such as nuts, soya, gluten or sesame. Keep your allergen procedures separate and clear.

What format is the Business Toolkit?

It's a 22-page A4 PDF that you download straight after buying. The audit, staff cheat sheet, ingredient checklist and 30-day plan are designed to be printed.

Can the whole team use it?

Yes. One purchase covers your business, so you can print pages for your staff, including across your own sites. Please don't share the file outside your business.

Will I get a receipt?

Yes. Payhip emails a receipt as soon as you buy, along with your download link.

Will these changes be expensive?

Most of the quick wins are about labelling, pricing decisions and a short staff briefing, so the cost is usually small compared with the custom they bring in.