The more (on the menu) the merrier!
By: Kamryn Jackson
Vegans that reside in the Piedmont Triad area no longer have to search for a burger spot that satisfies their dietary needs. Thanks to the Big Burger Spot, vegans can enjoy one of the U.S.’s most popular dishes without compromising their diet.
The all-inclusive burger spot was created in 2012 by owner Guy Bradley. Employees of the Big Burger Spot recognize how quickly veganism is growing throughout the U.S. and want their menus to reflect that.
“The growing demand for more health-conscious offerings is inspirational and plays a critical role in future menu design and selections,” operating partner Nicholas Marien said. “The balance is finding items or ingredients that appeal to everyone.”
The idea of inclusivity plays a role in our everyday lives, even in the restaurant industry. Although the Cheesecake Factory specializes in cheesecakes, they have an extensive dessert menu of tiramisu, carrot cake, truffle cake, and more, illustrating that the menu is not limited to its star dish.
“As a restaurant, you must realize how good it is to have variety,” Marien said. “Yea, we specialize in beef burgers, but you’d be surprised how many customers get a salad or a vegan burger. All offerings are important to our customers. The brand and the image we try to convey values inclusivity and our vegan clientele.”
There are certainly benefits to cultivating a brand that emphasizes an inclusive menu, such as the monetary gain businesses can experience.
“We’ve seen new faces of guests who didn’t know vegan options were available and subsequently became loyal guests knowing they have more choices,” Marien said. “Do you know how great it is for business to have customers consistently buy menu items we don’t specialize in? I’ll tell you what, it’s great.”
Cities and states on the west coast are more vegan-friendly than those on the east coast. Vegan students like Monae Johnson, a senior international business major from Sacramento, California, are thankful for restaurants like the Big Burger Spot that remind her of home.
“I was terrified for my diet when I first moved from California to Greensboro,” Johnson said. “I’m used to having so many vegan restaurants to pick from, and I was concerned that I wouldn’t have that in Greensboro. Luckily, I found many spots that align with my diet. The Big Burger Spot has the best vegan burger by far.”
Luckily for vegans, the Big Burger Spot plans to expand its vegan-friendly menu further to attract more business.
“Variety is always at the top of our list,” Marien said. “Vegan burgers are a great start, but there are certainly more vegan options that our restaurant is working to integrate into our menu.”
Kamryn Jackson is a junior multimedia journalism major at N.C. A&T State University from Bowie, Maryland.
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