A well-known restaurant in the United Kingdom left a vegan TikToker completely stunned when they declined to serve her, explaining that they did not have options for vegans.
Amie-Beth Steadman, residing in Essex, England, found herself frustrated with Sheesh, a barbecue restaurant located in Chigwell, after contacting them to inquire about their plant-based dishes. However, her expectations were shattered when the individual who answered the phone allegedly responded with confusion, stating that they didn't understand why a vegan would choose to visit their establishment.
Sharing the incident with her TikTok audience of 2,800 followers, the 27-year-old recounted the experience. In her three-minute video, she expressed, "A few years ago, I visited Sheesh, and as a vegan, I discovered that their main menu didn't offer any vegan options. However, I thought maybe I could still make do by ordering some side dishes such as chips and rice and combining them."
In her narration, she expressed her personal preference for side dishes over main courses when dining out. Recounting her previous experience at Sheesh a couple of years ago, she mentioned that she had requested to order sides as her main meal, but her request was denied. Determined to gather more information about potential vegan options this time, she decided to call the restaurant in advance.
According to her, during the phone conversation, the lady on the other end stated, "We don't cater for vegans." Her friend then attempted to clarify the situation by suggesting the possibility of ordering multiple sides as the main meal. However, the response they received from the employee shocked them both.
The employee stated, "I don't even know why a vegan would even want to come to our restaurant anyway." This left Steadman frustrated and upset, emphasizing that being a vegan is not something unusual or strange.
She expressed her disbelief, stating, "We were just asking a question. It's fair if that's your policy, but saying 'why would a vegan even want to come here?' I just can't believe that a restaurant that is so well known would just be so rude."
Fortunately, Steadman received support in the comments section of her video, with many people criticizing the restaurant for its impolite behavior.
One user wrote, "If a restaurant doesn't offer vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free options in 2023, it's dead! No excuse."
Another user added, "This is so bizarre. What is the issue with ordering multiple sides instead of a main? I don't get it."
A third user agreed, stating, "I'm not vegan, but what actually is their issue with vegans ordering sides or spending money in their restaurant." However, not everyone was so empathetic, with this user pointing out that it was a "meat restaurant." Steadman quickly shut them down by countering that it was actually a "Turkish restaurant" also adding that "Many Turkish restaurants serve falafel. It’s not predominately meat. Saying that, I have been to steakhouses offering vegan."
