On Saturday night I took my daughter out to eat while her sister was at a friend’s house for a sleepover. Due to a little convenience and her choosing we ate at TGI Fridays. Well after reviewing the menu for twenty minutes and having my daughter ask,”Daddy, can’t we just order already?” I pulled over my waitress and complained about the lack of vegan dishes.
I was promptly told that I could request the chicken and steak removed from my salad. I asked what about the bacon, eggs, and cheeses? She said that if I really wanted them removed I could. And what kind of discount would I receive for removing half the salad? None.
I then inquired about other dishes and received a look of shock as if vegans eat something other than salad. We ran through a few possibilities and I settled on a pasta dish that looked like it should be vegan if I removed the Parmesan cheese. I had angel hair pasta with a tomato basil sauce glazed with balsamic vinegar and topped with a grilled portabella mushroom. Sounds good doesn’t it?
Well while it was quite enjoyable, I became bothered part way through eating it at how greasy the noodles were. Turns out they buttered the noodles in addition to the sauce. I complained to the manager and she politely reassured me they are “testing” vegan recipes. No I did not get the meal removed.
So, let’s make ourselves heard so this restaurant accommodates us with vegan dishes. Even offering a salad or pasta dish with chicken being an additional cost would be a start, but we all know they can do better. And if you are forced to eat there with a bunch of friends, order the spaghetti from the kids menu. the portion size is decent and it is just marinara sauce.
