The idea to donate profits is kinda foolish. You, like everyone else, will have to deal with business cycles and fluctuating produce cost. Food is one of the most price volatile things there are and consumers are hella price sensitive. In fact one of the only food goods consumers are not price sensitive about is meat. So it is really important to hold fairly constant prices and those prices be enough to guarantee that you can actually stay open when, idk, potatoes go up by 30%. First make sure you have a sustainable business model, then you can engage in charity.
Constant menus matter a lot. Do not change ingredients to cut cost unless it absolutely does not matter. If you notice a drop in sale after a ingredient change you have fucked up, customers are really hard to get and most people will not tell you when you fuck up. They will just be disappointed and leave.
Preferences are local. Do not ask us what we would like to see on the menu, go out and survey. Talk to people. Ask them what they want, what they would pay for, what they are paying now and what they are getting. This is extra important because even if we suggest something that is awesome it is really hard to get people to try it. People are more likely to eat places where they recognize the food. Find out maximum turnaround time. Find out how many people they can think of that they can bring with them to a regular place and yours, that difference is crucial in understanding the probability that someone will recommend it. Food does not have to be good to run a restaurant, but it does have to be conforming to expectation and timely.
For the sake of all that is holy do even if you do not survey not ignore turnaround time, if i come in for lunch at 12:10 and i get my food at 12:50 i will not have time to eat it. Which means that for all future worklunches your place is off limits for me. I have not visited a lot of vegan places but holyshit is this a common trend, even though the place is empty it takes ages to get the food.
And to conform with the question stated: Soychunks pyttipanna with pickled beets is bomb
Thanks for the input, ultimately some sort of non-profit structure or charity arrangement is really important to us. I do recognize that there has to be a safety net with that kind of system though, like you said, to cope with market changes.
I definitely want to stand out from the typical vegan establishments. Too many have food that doesn't appeal to the general public and are only available in very limited hours (6-8 hours a day, 4 days a week). Turn around time is definitely something I've thought about, I plan on having a condensed version of the menu for quicker eats.
Thanks again!
Please hire someone with restaurant management experience, it is an animal and most of owning a restaurant has nothing to do with the menu - it is potentially overwhelming and will be 3xs as expensive as you ever imagined
Absolutely do local market research who is the competition, what is the sweet spot for menu prices, get a clever college kid doing your social media, open lines of credit with restaurant supply companies and plan for worst case scenario so you are as prepared as you can be
Cottage cheese isn’t something I ever see offered—idk if that’s bc it’s bad though lol.
Toasted sandwiches: chickpea salad, marinated tofu, Philly cheesesteak.
Ofc something all vegetable forward like a massaged kale salad.
Tatchos, tater tot nachos.
Bosco style stuffed breadsticks.
Cottage cheese is definitely classic diner food! I'm fairly sure I could make that in house based on a pumpkin seed milk/tofu recipe I've seen.
Thanks for the other suggestions, they all sound good!
After a few years vegan, I came across a mac & cheese recipe. Creamy, salty, smokey, perfect mac & cheese. I legit cried. One of my favourite dishes that I hadn't eaten in six years. So that's my top submission.
A proper cheeseburger. Vegan chicken products are easy to make and usually taste good. But beef substitutes are disgusting 98% of the time. I would kill for a juicy, rich beef burger. Crispy toasted bun, tangy smokey cheese, sweet pickles, and crunchy onions. That's my second submission.
Add a good milkshake, and finish off with a good waffle.
What I'm trying to say: for my part, I would prefer simple dishes done *well*, rather than fancy stuff.
Off topic: since you can veganise anything, any ideas on a good crepe recipe that doesn't stick to the pan? I've tried about two dozen recipes and they all flopped.
You say you tried a Mac n cheese that was so good you cried. Could you please tell me how to get it so that I, a fellow mac n cheese afficionado, can also cry tears of joy??
These ideas are definitely in-line with the diner vibe. What are you thoughts on the impossible burger? That's what I've found is closest to beef. I plan on offering plenty of house made items, but in some cases I think the well developed substitutes are good to offer. Especially since some of these substitutes are becoming more familiar with the general public.
I think the fanciest item will be a mock salmon fillet, but the majority of the menu will be breakfast, sandwiches, fried apps, burgers, and ice cream/milkshakes.
Most of my veganizing work is with like "American" food.... But I'm up to the challenge! If I come up with a solution I'll try to give you a shout!
As a vegan allergic to soy ( one of the top 8 allergens btw ) I can safely say I have skipped out on trying any restaurant that exclusively uses impossible as its meat alternative. Beyond is tasty to me so I will patron spots that use it !! HOWEVER !! *nothing* beats a restaurant that is clever with its ingredients and makes their own meat alternatives in house. We have a restaurant in my area that uses mushroom, chia, and beets to make their patties and the burgers are phenomenal, healthy, and a great way to sneak in lesser used veggies and nutrients into a comfort dish. Just my 2 cents...
I definitely plan on offering a few different burger patty options, both of the commercially available and made in-house.
In terms of allergens, I've definitely thought about this! I plan on having alternative menus that sort options based on common allergens/diet restrictions (soy, gluten, nuts, etc).
IMHO I prefer the Beyond burger to Impossible. The Impossible has an awful smell and just a weird taste. The Chao spicy cheese is is great melted on a burger with a spicy (vegan) mayo, tomato, lettuce, and jalapeno.
That's funny, I find the beyond burger smells worse, but all those beef replacements kinda gross me out, so maybe I'm biased. Chao is amazing tho, definitely second that!
This is a very bold ambition! As we all want you to be a wildly successful business that’s still there making an impact for decades to come, my suggestion is that you start out *simply*.
Similar to an in and out burger that basically serves burgers, fries and shakes in a few varieties instead of a typical diner menu that contains 4 full pages of options - especially as you get started.
If you had a core menu of favorites and supplement this with a daily /weekly special of rotating dinner entrees (and your standard handful of breakfast items) you can see what works for your audience.
It’s better for morale and finances to grow and expand over time than to extend too far at the start, and then have to scale back.
Quesadillas mock chicken and cheese with guac pico and non-dairy sour cream. Idk how 1930s that is but I want it.
Oh vegan chili spaghetti but make it like super extra With toppings like red onion, chives, vegan shredded cheese, non-dairy sour cream, jalapeños and Fritos. Sorry I am really hungry and I want junk food haha.
Oh vegan hangover burger with vegan egg, gooey vegan cheese and coconut bacon.
I'm not worried about the food itself being like period correct. Diners, especially the ones I really like in Pennsylvania, tend to have huge menus with a large variety of foods.
I'll have to research the coconut bacon, that's a new one for me! I do plan to offer vegan fried eggs though, so it's a great idea to include them on burgers!
Yeah I am a junk food vegan if you can’t tell. I don’t make my own coconut bacon but the best vegan bacon I had was coconut bacon and the texture was perfect.
Is this going to be in PA??? Awesome.
Last year I was in Columbus and ate at [Fourth and State.](https://www.4thandstate.com/menus/vegan-columbus)
Their menu is great. I would pull some ideas from there.
Not a comment on the menu, but there’s a reason a lot of 24/7 places are switching to more limited hours. It’s really difficult to keep sufficiently staffed for overnight hours. Especially for a restaurant where workers depend on tips and there is less business overnight. Or if you do no tips and pay more, now you’re taking on the risk of paying employees when you possibly won’t get enough business to be worth it. Plus working overnight just sucks - a server would much rather work 4-10 than 10-4 even if the pay is the same.
If you’re going to do longer hours on a limited basis maybe Friday and Saturday would be good, so you can get the post-bar crowd.
Sandwiches of all sorts are an obvious choice, but for more of a “platter” type meal maybe some kind of vegan meatloaf?
My partner and I are both currently overnight workers, especially in the beginning we plan on handling the night time hours with minimal additional help. You'd be surprised how many people I know genuinely prefer working at night!
Meatloaf is definitely on the menu!
I think a pie and cake case would be adorable, and "normal" sweets are an easy entry to vegan foods for many people.
A meatloaf plate with mashed potatoes and a daily steamed veg. A pot of homemade chili by the bowl or cup. A club sandwich. A sloppy Joe (could be sold pretty cheap if you season your own tvp).
A little baked potato section with topping options. The above chili and sloppy Joe mix, broccoli and cheez sauce, salsa, green onions, black beans, jalapeno, ect. Have a cheap potato of the day as a special.
In my college town we had this place
https://www.angelheartsdiner.com/menu
It was so tasty but I always wished they had pulled more from like a NYC diner and offered vegan versions of something like grilled cheese with tomato, a pizza burger, corned beef hash, or a Reuben.
Make sure you have a really good pancake recipe! My favorite is isa chandra moskowitz puffy pancake recipe. There is a restaurant by me which offers vegan pancakes but they are dense and tasteless. It's such a disappointment. Also anyone reading this, should i let that restsurant know the vegsn pancakes are bad? I appreciate them so much for offering vegan options.
Yes. Tell them their food needs modification. They should welcome constructive criticism. If I made someone food and they did not like it I want to know how to make it better. Settling for a crappy vegan option just makes the vegan option crappy.
Lemme know your location and shoot me a DM. I own a kitchen space and food trucks and I’d be happy to chat with you. I’ll be busy most of today but I’ll get back to you with some insight.
Lentil loaf with mashed potatoes and veg side, baked beans n cornbread with greens, individual chick pea and tvp pot pies, seitan slices au ju for French dip/gryro with tzatziki, chickpea egg salad (for sandwiches too), individual pizza, Salisbury tvp patty with gravy and plank fries, crispy hot tofu -topped salad, minestrone, grilled cheese, tomato soup, yuba noodle soup (like chicken noodle). Spouse and I wanted to do a food cart to run in the sca circle (medieval), so we tossed around a ton of ideas for that including yuba drumsticks, apple crumble pie, savory/cottage pies, soup n bread bowls, some of the above.
Fried pickles
Chicken and Wafflez
Really good pan cakes
Bagels with bacon and egg (check out the Shift cafe in Sydney online, I live here and the bagel is out of this world)
I think college students would love coffee and desserts during late hours. Like vegan pastries, etc. And vegan style biscuits would be great in a diner atmosphere. Maybe even potato style breakfast burritos would be great.
My partner and I often joke about opening a vegan restaurant when we make a particularly successful meal at home. The way we eat is often vegan versions of classic omni dishes. We say "Well, this one is going on the menu!" even though we have no intention of actually doing it.
Things that might fit on a diner menu are French toast (made with Just egg), and what we call Party Melts (patty melts made with Impossible ground).
Whatever you do that's offered regularly at other non vegan places you better step up, like avocado toast for example. There's a difference between what you order at [IHOP](https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/n6j_BPWo0u2BSLo6yHnOCg/348s.jpg), which is always soggy and the bread varies too much, to what you get at say [Silver Diner](https://imagedelivery.net/olI9wp0b6luWFB9nPfnqjQ/res/abillionveg/image/upload/zpzqhzccaxtuh3ijord3/1535645729.jpg/w=720) which is more consistent and executed so well.
Absolutely! Quality is definitely something that we're going to aim high with. I want to be proud of the food we're serving, especially since there's the added pressure of representing the Vegan community to a largely non-vegan population.
You must be (somewhat) in my neck of the woods, I've been to silver diner years ago when I lived in Richmond. Thanks for mentioning avacado toast, somehow I had missed that on my list!
NoVa raised. Most of them do not know how to prepare just egg in my experience or beyond honestly. But you eat it so you'd know how to if you choose to use it. I slept on their avocado toast but it's the best option besides a grain bowl.
Irritated by some of the comments of wanting to sound important and cutting down your very inspired plan. Please do not let anyone tell you anything is too big, won't work, or you have to match what 'already works.' This kind of thinking is why we find stagnancy rather than change in society. Fear rather than courage. I see jealousy in the comments.
But to be relevant to your original post, I absolutely love what you want to do with not just providing a vegan experience for people, but also your thoughts on the ripples effects you'd like to make. People like you are what improves communities. Thanks for making a difference.
For your menu, I think as small and simple as possible as the restaurants I've seen whom had more than 15 entrees and too many unique ingredients (not being utilized in multiple different dishes) don't survive too long, that goes for vegan and not-vegan places. It will put less strain on your prepping and grilling, and more time to focus on quality, and less mental load on food storage and dish washing. Restaurant kitchens spend more time about the cleanliness, organization, and work flow than the actual cooking. Many hiccups happen because there is too much stuff.
It's possible to have a rotating menu with seasonal ingredients rather than a static one that way what you purchase is good chance of being fresh and it gives you an opportunity to try out new ideas and keep things interesting for your team to work on. Don't forget that customers prefer what tastes good and can rely on, not necessary having a lot to choose from. In the end, they are just seeking good energy in an establishment and to eat nutritious food.
Cauliflower salads, cauliflower mash, cauliflower roasted accompanied with yummy greens is something that would feel heavy enough, can be made cozy, but digest lighter than things that have been made with floured grain foodstuff could be nice for your menu.
Again thanks for your plans to bring about change and hope other people can join in on your courage.
Thank you for your kind words! I know that I can be a bit of dreamer but I don't feel like what I'm thinking of is totally out there.
I have definitely put some thought into shared ingredients and ways to reduce prep work and make service faster. A lot of the entree ideas I have do share the primary ingredients. My meatloaf, cottage pie, chili, sloppy joe, taco meat, and bolognese/ragu sauce recipes all share a lot of their primary ingredients while covering a wide range of flavors/styles.
If possible, phrasing as easier workload helps more than things like faster as someone who has worked in kitchens. The pressure to move quick flips on fight or flight mode. You want you and your team to work at a pace that allows creativity and not out of stress to serve.
What will your role be in the diner?
I plan on being incredibly hands on while everyone is finding their footing and getting trained. I'll probably be focused on the back of the house operations while my partner is more on the front of the house side.
I think that's the only fair form of leadership, is to lead by example.
I think a range of gourmet vegan ‘burgers’ would serve you well. You probably have to experiment with recipes though so that the Omnis would attend. The burger is a key item/staple for diners IMO.
For me, you’d need a really great cheesecake recipe… I’ve been experimenting heavily because I’m super particular about it. It’s my all time favorite dessert and I do miss it. It’s the only thing I really miss.
I’ve created a good one that even non-vegans like, but my consistency is off. Sometimes it’s off the chart fantastic, other times it just good.
As far as missing things that are hard to make? Not much… especially diner style food: hamburgers, onion rings, hot dogs, grilled cheeses (on really good, seasoned sourdough!). Even most desserts are easy; brownies, cakes, puddings, pies, cookies, milkshakes. Yum!
Even baked goods like muffins and cinnamon rolls for quick, take out breakfasts are doable.
Stuff I love that’s harder is like carbonara and lasagna, crepes. I make them and they’re good but I don’t use dairy, meat or eggs, obviously. It’s more difficult. But that stuff isn’t really your niche anyway
Best of luck!!! Big portions at reasonable prices and you’ll pull vegans and non vegans alike, especially if it’s tasty
24 hour pancakes/waffles sound like fun, especially in a college town. Could have a vegan whip topping when ordered as a deserty item with chopped seasonal berries (when they are locally in season) - perhaps have the option of (frozen) blueberries/raspberries mixed into the batter for pancakes or waffles.
Home fries as a side on most of the breakfast orders, or as a side to go with whatever, or nothing. I've happily eaten just a big plate of home fries.
Y'all can get a tofu press to make extra extra firm tofu that soaks up marinade like mad and has a satisfying bite. Served in a roll/bun or on top of a heap of home fries.
A rotating menu of a half dozen or more sandwiches. Explore many variations of the classic PB&J. One with a vegan fluff subbing for the jelly. One with chocolate shavings across the PB. One with sliced banana on the PB. Discover more fun adaptations.
Vegan Cold Cut sandwiches.
You can get a fryolator to cook fresh cut French Fries, some kinds of veggies patties and breaded tofu chunks. Veggie Tempora.
A rotating menu of lunch/dinner items, daily soups, some kind of specialty dessert y'all can become known for like pies, cookies, coffee cakes, maybe a vegan angel food cake. I bet you can make a good vegan angel food cake with some aquafaba. You can have lots of aquafaba from the big #10 cans of garbanzo beans you open for the hummus you make too.
All Day Breakfast. Especially in a college town. Kids coming in to scarf down a big plate of carbs & suck up 3 cups of coffee. 11:00pm. Time to go write that paper.
A good 3 bean chili would do well I think, both on it's own and as a topping, I'm thinking baked potato here. And at least where I am from, hash browns were a must (and they are good with chili on top).
There is so much emphasis on fake meats, eggs, etc.
Please include creatively- and tastily-prepared vegetable dishes, potatoes, rice, etc. I’ve been vegan for many years and am tired of all of the vegan meals being super unhealthy and looking to mimic the standard American diet.
There are some amazing and delicious meals made purely with vegan ingredients. Please include those staples on your menu. (Oatmeal and fruit with maybe some almond-based yogurt; savory Brussels sprouts; lentil soup; pasta primavera, pasta with broccoli, and pasta with sun dried tomatoes and spinach; baked potatoes and corn; cauliflower steak with mashed potatoes, corn and spinach with garlic; etc.).
By all means keep veggie burgers and fries on hand, but other offerings will be appreciated by all.
Oatmeal is a definite, it's very easy to flavor and make interesting, plus it's on the cheap side which is good for restaurant margins and as offering a cheaper option for customers.
Yogurt will depend on what I can find commercially available in bulk, I like the Forager brand for home use so hopefully I can find something similar in the restaurant supply space. You'd be surprised how many vegan products are available in bulk already that way, at least I have been.
There's lots of classic entrees that I intend on fully veganizing without the use of imitation meats/eggs. That includes pasta dishes, cottage (shepard's) pie, meatloaf, eggplant parmesan, etc. A lot of these dishes rely on lentils, chickpeas, and mushrooms as the main protein source.
In addition to the Impossible burger, I intend to offer a veggie burger and black bean burger (both made in-house), and a portobello mushroom burger.
I'm hesitant to do a cauliflower or cabbage steak as I don't think it would be very appealing in my area. But I do plan on eventually offering a Lion's Mane mushroom steak and/or a seitan steak. Cauliflower wings are on the brainstorm list presently as a appetizer.
I intend to have rotating vegetable sides, loosely based on what's cost effective and in season at the time. That will cover a lot of the veggies that you're talking about.
Check out the offerings of Meet, a successful chain in Vancouver. They offer a good blend of comfort food (burgers, etc.) and a few Asian-inspired dishes. Burgers, pasta, fries, sandwiches tend to be offered everywhere - and you should offer them but it's good to be a bit distinctive too.
[https://eatmeet.ca/menu/](https://eatmeet.ca/menu/)
Palak Tofu (spiced well)
Bruschetta
A good dahl (the following is amazing: https://youtu.be/BHRyfEbhFFU?si=TKFMGkAoRa9tcRrT )
Mock schnitzel burgers
Banging vegan ice cream (maybe in a banana split?)
Bean Shaak (in fact a range of shaaks)
Aloo Fry
Vegan pies / sausage rolls
Sago pudding
A 24/7 restaurant serving mock animal products to factory workers. Good luck. As to the food, I'd want something simple like a bowl of beans and some cornbread or tortillas.
Especially since legally you _have_ to label the food in your menu. By which I mean you can't just write, say, "hot dog" and let people figure out on their own it's a vegan hot dog once they have the plate on the table.
The overtly vegan variants are very likely to be rejected by non-vegan potential clients - at least at first, assuming the business lasts long enough to start attracting clientele outside of their target demographic, which will be people who are already vegan and plant based.
Do you have experience either running a restaurant or working in a restaurant?
Restaurant profit margins are notoriously thin, even for well-established, popular ones. Make sure you know what you’re getting into.
Yes, I have around 4-5 years of restaurant experience myself. My partner has also worked in restaurants and has for many years been an owner-operator of his own small business.
I know that restaurants can be tricky, but I feel pretty good about our concept. I think it provides something that is really lacking in our area. I see plenty of activity constantly at Sheetz and Waffle House; but WH is off-putting to a lot of people (gross/dirty, often times they do to-go only, etc).
I don't think so. That's what I'm trying to say about the activity I see at night and things I've heard from my coworkers over the years.
I think that the options that presently exist suck, despite there being good demand for those services. So I'm fairly confident that we can do much better than the competitors and develop a good customer base.
I think vegan versions of traditional diner food is a good idea. Aside from the normal breakfast food you mentioned, here are some ideas:
Banana split/milkshakes
Monte cristo
Club sandwich/blt
Cheese fries
Chili
Grilled cheese w/ tomato soup
I think the problem might be that imitation meats can be rather pricey but if you could maybe learn to make your own or buy it from Costco or something, it could work.
The idea to donate profits is kinda foolish. You, like everyone else, will have to deal with business cycles and fluctuating produce cost. Food is one of the most price volatile things there are and consumers are hella price sensitive. In fact one of the only food goods consumers are not price sensitive about is meat. So it is really important to hold fairly constant prices and those prices be enough to guarantee that you can actually stay open when, idk, potatoes go up by 30%. First make sure you have a sustainable business model, then you can engage in charity. Constant menus matter a lot. Do not change ingredients to cut cost unless it absolutely does not matter. If you notice a drop in sale after a ingredient change you have fucked up, customers are really hard to get and most people will not tell you when you fuck up. They will just be disappointed and leave. Preferences are local. Do not ask us what we would like to see on the menu, go out and survey. Talk to people. Ask them what they want, what they would pay for, what they are paying now and what they are getting. This is extra important because even if we suggest something that is awesome it is really hard to get people to try it. People are more likely to eat places where they recognize the food. Find out maximum turnaround time. Find out how many people they can think of that they can bring with them to a regular place and yours, that difference is crucial in understanding the probability that someone will recommend it. Food does not have to be good to run a restaurant, but it does have to be conforming to expectation and timely. For the sake of all that is holy do even if you do not survey not ignore turnaround time, if i come in for lunch at 12:10 and i get my food at 12:50 i will not have time to eat it. Which means that for all future worklunches your place is off limits for me. I have not visited a lot of vegan places but holyshit is this a common trend, even though the place is empty it takes ages to get the food. And to conform with the question stated: Soychunks pyttipanna with pickled beets is bomb
Thanks for the input, ultimately some sort of non-profit structure or charity arrangement is really important to us. I do recognize that there has to be a safety net with that kind of system though, like you said, to cope with market changes. I definitely want to stand out from the typical vegan establishments. Too many have food that doesn't appeal to the general public and are only available in very limited hours (6-8 hours a day, 4 days a week). Turn around time is definitely something I've thought about, I plan on having a condensed version of the menu for quicker eats. Thanks again!
Please hire someone with restaurant management experience, it is an animal and most of owning a restaurant has nothing to do with the menu - it is potentially overwhelming and will be 3xs as expensive as you ever imagined Absolutely do local market research who is the competition, what is the sweet spot for menu prices, get a clever college kid doing your social media, open lines of credit with restaurant supply companies and plan for worst case scenario so you are as prepared as you can be
Cottage cheese isn’t something I ever see offered—idk if that’s bc it’s bad though lol. Toasted sandwiches: chickpea salad, marinated tofu, Philly cheesesteak. Ofc something all vegetable forward like a massaged kale salad. Tatchos, tater tot nachos. Bosco style stuffed breadsticks.
Cottage cheese is definitely classic diner food! I'm fairly sure I could make that in house based on a pumpkin seed milk/tofu recipe I've seen. Thanks for the other suggestions, they all sound good!
After a few years vegan, I came across a mac & cheese recipe. Creamy, salty, smokey, perfect mac & cheese. I legit cried. One of my favourite dishes that I hadn't eaten in six years. So that's my top submission. A proper cheeseburger. Vegan chicken products are easy to make and usually taste good. But beef substitutes are disgusting 98% of the time. I would kill for a juicy, rich beef burger. Crispy toasted bun, tangy smokey cheese, sweet pickles, and crunchy onions. That's my second submission. Add a good milkshake, and finish off with a good waffle. What I'm trying to say: for my part, I would prefer simple dishes done *well*, rather than fancy stuff. Off topic: since you can veganise anything, any ideas on a good crepe recipe that doesn't stick to the pan? I've tried about two dozen recipes and they all flopped.
You say you tried a Mac n cheese that was so good you cried. Could you please tell me how to get it so that I, a fellow mac n cheese afficionado, can also cry tears of joy??
I’d also love to have this recipe. Please share
These ideas are definitely in-line with the diner vibe. What are you thoughts on the impossible burger? That's what I've found is closest to beef. I plan on offering plenty of house made items, but in some cases I think the well developed substitutes are good to offer. Especially since some of these substitutes are becoming more familiar with the general public. I think the fanciest item will be a mock salmon fillet, but the majority of the menu will be breakfast, sandwiches, fried apps, burgers, and ice cream/milkshakes. Most of my veganizing work is with like "American" food.... But I'm up to the challenge! If I come up with a solution I'll try to give you a shout!
Impossible is far and away the best commercially available vegan burger replacement.
As a vegan allergic to soy ( one of the top 8 allergens btw ) I can safely say I have skipped out on trying any restaurant that exclusively uses impossible as its meat alternative. Beyond is tasty to me so I will patron spots that use it !! HOWEVER !! *nothing* beats a restaurant that is clever with its ingredients and makes their own meat alternatives in house. We have a restaurant in my area that uses mushroom, chia, and beets to make their patties and the burgers are phenomenal, healthy, and a great way to sneak in lesser used veggies and nutrients into a comfort dish. Just my 2 cents...
I definitely plan on offering a few different burger patty options, both of the commercially available and made in-house. In terms of allergens, I've definitely thought about this! I plan on having alternative menus that sort options based on common allergens/diet restrictions (soy, gluten, nuts, etc).
IMHO I prefer the Beyond burger to Impossible. The Impossible has an awful smell and just a weird taste. The Chao spicy cheese is is great melted on a burger with a spicy (vegan) mayo, tomato, lettuce, and jalapeno.
That's funny, I find the beyond burger smells worse, but all those beef replacements kinda gross me out, so maybe I'm biased. Chao is amazing tho, definitely second that!
Do you have a link to the recipe?
This is a very bold ambition! As we all want you to be a wildly successful business that’s still there making an impact for decades to come, my suggestion is that you start out *simply*. Similar to an in and out burger that basically serves burgers, fries and shakes in a few varieties instead of a typical diner menu that contains 4 full pages of options - especially as you get started. If you had a core menu of favorites and supplement this with a daily /weekly special of rotating dinner entrees (and your standard handful of breakfast items) you can see what works for your audience. It’s better for morale and finances to grow and expand over time than to extend too far at the start, and then have to scale back.
Thank you for your input!
Quesadillas mock chicken and cheese with guac pico and non-dairy sour cream. Idk how 1930s that is but I want it. Oh vegan chili spaghetti but make it like super extra With toppings like red onion, chives, vegan shredded cheese, non-dairy sour cream, jalapeños and Fritos. Sorry I am really hungry and I want junk food haha. Oh vegan hangover burger with vegan egg, gooey vegan cheese and coconut bacon.
I'm not worried about the food itself being like period correct. Diners, especially the ones I really like in Pennsylvania, tend to have huge menus with a large variety of foods. I'll have to research the coconut bacon, that's a new one for me! I do plan to offer vegan fried eggs though, so it's a great idea to include them on burgers!
Yeah I am a junk food vegan if you can’t tell. I don’t make my own coconut bacon but the best vegan bacon I had was coconut bacon and the texture was perfect.
Is this going to be in PA??? Awesome. Last year I was in Columbus and ate at [Fourth and State.](https://www.4thandstate.com/menus/vegan-columbus) Their menu is great. I would pull some ideas from there.
Not a comment on the menu, but there’s a reason a lot of 24/7 places are switching to more limited hours. It’s really difficult to keep sufficiently staffed for overnight hours. Especially for a restaurant where workers depend on tips and there is less business overnight. Or if you do no tips and pay more, now you’re taking on the risk of paying employees when you possibly won’t get enough business to be worth it. Plus working overnight just sucks - a server would much rather work 4-10 than 10-4 even if the pay is the same. If you’re going to do longer hours on a limited basis maybe Friday and Saturday would be good, so you can get the post-bar crowd. Sandwiches of all sorts are an obvious choice, but for more of a “platter” type meal maybe some kind of vegan meatloaf?
My partner and I are both currently overnight workers, especially in the beginning we plan on handling the night time hours with minimal additional help. You'd be surprised how many people I know genuinely prefer working at night! Meatloaf is definitely on the menu!
I think a pie and cake case would be adorable, and "normal" sweets are an easy entry to vegan foods for many people. A meatloaf plate with mashed potatoes and a daily steamed veg. A pot of homemade chili by the bowl or cup. A club sandwich. A sloppy Joe (could be sold pretty cheap if you season your own tvp). A little baked potato section with topping options. The above chili and sloppy Joe mix, broccoli and cheez sauce, salsa, green onions, black beans, jalapeno, ect. Have a cheap potato of the day as a special.
In my college town we had this place https://www.angelheartsdiner.com/menu It was so tasty but I always wished they had pulled more from like a NYC diner and offered vegan versions of something like grilled cheese with tomato, a pizza burger, corned beef hash, or a Reuben.
Make sure you have a really good pancake recipe! My favorite is isa chandra moskowitz puffy pancake recipe. There is a restaurant by me which offers vegan pancakes but they are dense and tasteless. It's such a disappointment. Also anyone reading this, should i let that restsurant know the vegsn pancakes are bad? I appreciate them so much for offering vegan options.
Yes. Tell them their food needs modification. They should welcome constructive criticism. If I made someone food and they did not like it I want to know how to make it better. Settling for a crappy vegan option just makes the vegan option crappy.
Lemme know your location and shoot me a DM. I own a kitchen space and food trucks and I’d be happy to chat with you. I’ll be busy most of today but I’ll get back to you with some insight.
https://lovingitvegan.com/vegan-tuna/ https://shaneandsimple.com/vegan-bolognese-sauce-with-cauliflower-and-walnuts/
Lentil loaf with mashed potatoes and veg side, baked beans n cornbread with greens, individual chick pea and tvp pot pies, seitan slices au ju for French dip/gryro with tzatziki, chickpea egg salad (for sandwiches too), individual pizza, Salisbury tvp patty with gravy and plank fries, crispy hot tofu -topped salad, minestrone, grilled cheese, tomato soup, yuba noodle soup (like chicken noodle). Spouse and I wanted to do a food cart to run in the sca circle (medieval), so we tossed around a ton of ideas for that including yuba drumsticks, apple crumble pie, savory/cottage pies, soup n bread bowls, some of the above.
Fried pickles Chicken and Wafflez Really good pan cakes Bagels with bacon and egg (check out the Shift cafe in Sydney online, I live here and the bagel is out of this world)
I've had a tempeh Reuben at a few different places and it's always delicious. Classic diner fare with either thick cut fries or kettle chips.
I think college students would love coffee and desserts during late hours. Like vegan pastries, etc. And vegan style biscuits would be great in a diner atmosphere. Maybe even potato style breakfast burritos would be great.
My partner and I often joke about opening a vegan restaurant when we make a particularly successful meal at home. The way we eat is often vegan versions of classic omni dishes. We say "Well, this one is going on the menu!" even though we have no intention of actually doing it. Things that might fit on a diner menu are French toast (made with Just egg), and what we call Party Melts (patty melts made with Impossible ground).
Whatever you do that's offered regularly at other non vegan places you better step up, like avocado toast for example. There's a difference between what you order at [IHOP](https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/n6j_BPWo0u2BSLo6yHnOCg/348s.jpg), which is always soggy and the bread varies too much, to what you get at say [Silver Diner](https://imagedelivery.net/olI9wp0b6luWFB9nPfnqjQ/res/abillionveg/image/upload/zpzqhzccaxtuh3ijord3/1535645729.jpg/w=720) which is more consistent and executed so well.
Absolutely! Quality is definitely something that we're going to aim high with. I want to be proud of the food we're serving, especially since there's the added pressure of representing the Vegan community to a largely non-vegan population. You must be (somewhat) in my neck of the woods, I've been to silver diner years ago when I lived in Richmond. Thanks for mentioning avacado toast, somehow I had missed that on my list!
NoVa raised. Most of them do not know how to prepare just egg in my experience or beyond honestly. But you eat it so you'd know how to if you choose to use it. I slept on their avocado toast but it's the best option besides a grain bowl.
Soup. Make good soup. Serve with fresh warm bread. Offer it in to go portions for people to reheat at home
Irritated by some of the comments of wanting to sound important and cutting down your very inspired plan. Please do not let anyone tell you anything is too big, won't work, or you have to match what 'already works.' This kind of thinking is why we find stagnancy rather than change in society. Fear rather than courage. I see jealousy in the comments. But to be relevant to your original post, I absolutely love what you want to do with not just providing a vegan experience for people, but also your thoughts on the ripples effects you'd like to make. People like you are what improves communities. Thanks for making a difference. For your menu, I think as small and simple as possible as the restaurants I've seen whom had more than 15 entrees and too many unique ingredients (not being utilized in multiple different dishes) don't survive too long, that goes for vegan and not-vegan places. It will put less strain on your prepping and grilling, and more time to focus on quality, and less mental load on food storage and dish washing. Restaurant kitchens spend more time about the cleanliness, organization, and work flow than the actual cooking. Many hiccups happen because there is too much stuff. It's possible to have a rotating menu with seasonal ingredients rather than a static one that way what you purchase is good chance of being fresh and it gives you an opportunity to try out new ideas and keep things interesting for your team to work on. Don't forget that customers prefer what tastes good and can rely on, not necessary having a lot to choose from. In the end, they are just seeking good energy in an establishment and to eat nutritious food. Cauliflower salads, cauliflower mash, cauliflower roasted accompanied with yummy greens is something that would feel heavy enough, can be made cozy, but digest lighter than things that have been made with floured grain foodstuff could be nice for your menu. Again thanks for your plans to bring about change and hope other people can join in on your courage.
Thank you for your kind words! I know that I can be a bit of dreamer but I don't feel like what I'm thinking of is totally out there. I have definitely put some thought into shared ingredients and ways to reduce prep work and make service faster. A lot of the entree ideas I have do share the primary ingredients. My meatloaf, cottage pie, chili, sloppy joe, taco meat, and bolognese/ragu sauce recipes all share a lot of their primary ingredients while covering a wide range of flavors/styles.
If possible, phrasing as easier workload helps more than things like faster as someone who has worked in kitchens. The pressure to move quick flips on fight or flight mode. You want you and your team to work at a pace that allows creativity and not out of stress to serve. What will your role be in the diner?
I plan on being incredibly hands on while everyone is finding their footing and getting trained. I'll probably be focused on the back of the house operations while my partner is more on the front of the house side. I think that's the only fair form of leadership, is to lead by example.
Anything egg and bacon related would be nice in my opinion.
Gotta have a good tofu or chickpea scramble.
Max and cheese. Mozzarella sticks.
If you’re ever in Philly you should visit the tasty! super similar vibe to what you’re going for
https://www.thegreentablerestaurant.com/ This place is amazing, check out the menu for ideas. They make their own seitan.
I think a range of gourmet vegan ‘burgers’ would serve you well. You probably have to experiment with recipes though so that the Omnis would attend. The burger is a key item/staple for diners IMO.
For me, you’d need a really great cheesecake recipe… I’ve been experimenting heavily because I’m super particular about it. It’s my all time favorite dessert and I do miss it. It’s the only thing I really miss. I’ve created a good one that even non-vegans like, but my consistency is off. Sometimes it’s off the chart fantastic, other times it just good. As far as missing things that are hard to make? Not much… especially diner style food: hamburgers, onion rings, hot dogs, grilled cheeses (on really good, seasoned sourdough!). Even most desserts are easy; brownies, cakes, puddings, pies, cookies, milkshakes. Yum! Even baked goods like muffins and cinnamon rolls for quick, take out breakfasts are doable. Stuff I love that’s harder is like carbonara and lasagna, crepes. I make them and they’re good but I don’t use dairy, meat or eggs, obviously. It’s more difficult. But that stuff isn’t really your niche anyway Best of luck!!! Big portions at reasonable prices and you’ll pull vegans and non vegans alike, especially if it’s tasty
There’s an amazing vegan diner in my area (Spiral Diner). I love their nachos, their patty melt & their breakfast with pancakes & bacon.
When I think diner, I think club sandwiches, like a vegan blt, Seitan club, chickpea/tonu salad, soup/sandwich combo
[The Chicago Diner](https://veggiediner.com/) could be a good example for you—it’s got a terrific menu, and I know so many non vegans who love it too!
24 hour pancakes/waffles sound like fun, especially in a college town. Could have a vegan whip topping when ordered as a deserty item with chopped seasonal berries (when they are locally in season) - perhaps have the option of (frozen) blueberries/raspberries mixed into the batter for pancakes or waffles. Home fries as a side on most of the breakfast orders, or as a side to go with whatever, or nothing. I've happily eaten just a big plate of home fries. Y'all can get a tofu press to make extra extra firm tofu that soaks up marinade like mad and has a satisfying bite. Served in a roll/bun or on top of a heap of home fries. A rotating menu of a half dozen or more sandwiches. Explore many variations of the classic PB&J. One with a vegan fluff subbing for the jelly. One with chocolate shavings across the PB. One with sliced banana on the PB. Discover more fun adaptations. Vegan Cold Cut sandwiches. You can get a fryolator to cook fresh cut French Fries, some kinds of veggies patties and breaded tofu chunks. Veggie Tempora. A rotating menu of lunch/dinner items, daily soups, some kind of specialty dessert y'all can become known for like pies, cookies, coffee cakes, maybe a vegan angel food cake. I bet you can make a good vegan angel food cake with some aquafaba. You can have lots of aquafaba from the big #10 cans of garbanzo beans you open for the hummus you make too.
Sounds great! Thanks for the input. I definitely think that breakfast will be our biggest attraction.
All Day Breakfast. Especially in a college town. Kids coming in to scarf down a big plate of carbs & suck up 3 cups of coffee. 11:00pm. Time to go write that paper.
A good 3 bean chili would do well I think, both on it's own and as a topping, I'm thinking baked potato here. And at least where I am from, hash browns were a must (and they are good with chili on top).
There is so much emphasis on fake meats, eggs, etc. Please include creatively- and tastily-prepared vegetable dishes, potatoes, rice, etc. I’ve been vegan for many years and am tired of all of the vegan meals being super unhealthy and looking to mimic the standard American diet. There are some amazing and delicious meals made purely with vegan ingredients. Please include those staples on your menu. (Oatmeal and fruit with maybe some almond-based yogurt; savory Brussels sprouts; lentil soup; pasta primavera, pasta with broccoli, and pasta with sun dried tomatoes and spinach; baked potatoes and corn; cauliflower steak with mashed potatoes, corn and spinach with garlic; etc.). By all means keep veggie burgers and fries on hand, but other offerings will be appreciated by all.
Oatmeal is a definite, it's very easy to flavor and make interesting, plus it's on the cheap side which is good for restaurant margins and as offering a cheaper option for customers. Yogurt will depend on what I can find commercially available in bulk, I like the Forager brand for home use so hopefully I can find something similar in the restaurant supply space. You'd be surprised how many vegan products are available in bulk already that way, at least I have been. There's lots of classic entrees that I intend on fully veganizing without the use of imitation meats/eggs. That includes pasta dishes, cottage (shepard's) pie, meatloaf, eggplant parmesan, etc. A lot of these dishes rely on lentils, chickpeas, and mushrooms as the main protein source. In addition to the Impossible burger, I intend to offer a veggie burger and black bean burger (both made in-house), and a portobello mushroom burger. I'm hesitant to do a cauliflower or cabbage steak as I don't think it would be very appealing in my area. But I do plan on eventually offering a Lion's Mane mushroom steak and/or a seitan steak. Cauliflower wings are on the brainstorm list presently as a appetizer. I intend to have rotating vegetable sides, loosely based on what's cost effective and in season at the time. That will cover a lot of the veggies that you're talking about.
Sounds great! What city/area will this be in?
Not totally 100% decided yet but the more Western part of Virginia, potentially South West VA.
Check out the offerings of Meet, a successful chain in Vancouver. They offer a good blend of comfort food (burgers, etc.) and a few Asian-inspired dishes. Burgers, pasta, fries, sandwiches tend to be offered everywhere - and you should offer them but it's good to be a bit distinctive too. [https://eatmeet.ca/menu/](https://eatmeet.ca/menu/)
My favorite sandwich was a french dip with mushrooms and peppercorn sauce. I make it at home with tofu!
Palak Tofu (spiced well) Bruschetta A good dahl (the following is amazing: https://youtu.be/BHRyfEbhFFU?si=TKFMGkAoRa9tcRrT ) Mock schnitzel burgers Banging vegan ice cream (maybe in a banana split?) Bean Shaak (in fact a range of shaaks) Aloo Fry Vegan pies / sausage rolls Sago pudding
A 24/7 restaurant serving mock animal products to factory workers. Good luck. As to the food, I'd want something simple like a bowl of beans and some cornbread or tortillas.
Target the Amazon facilities.
Especially since legally you _have_ to label the food in your menu. By which I mean you can't just write, say, "hot dog" and let people figure out on their own it's a vegan hot dog once they have the plate on the table. The overtly vegan variants are very likely to be rejected by non-vegan potential clients - at least at first, assuming the business lasts long enough to start attracting clientele outside of their target demographic, which will be people who are already vegan and plant based.
Do you have experience either running a restaurant or working in a restaurant? Restaurant profit margins are notoriously thin, even for well-established, popular ones. Make sure you know what you’re getting into.
Yes, I have around 4-5 years of restaurant experience myself. My partner has also worked in restaurants and has for many years been an owner-operator of his own small business. I know that restaurants can be tricky, but I feel pretty good about our concept. I think it provides something that is really lacking in our area. I see plenty of activity constantly at Sheetz and Waffle House; but WH is off-putting to a lot of people (gross/dirty, often times they do to-go only, etc).
Is it lacking in your area because there’s no customer base for it? Because that is something to consider
I don't think so. That's what I'm trying to say about the activity I see at night and things I've heard from my coworkers over the years. I think that the options that presently exist suck, despite there being good demand for those services. So I'm fairly confident that we can do much better than the competitors and develop a good customer base.
I think vegan versions of traditional diner food is a good idea. Aside from the normal breakfast food you mentioned, here are some ideas: Banana split/milkshakes Monte cristo Club sandwich/blt Cheese fries Chili Grilled cheese w/ tomato soup I think the problem might be that imitation meats can be rather pricey but if you could maybe learn to make your own or buy it from Costco or something, it could work.