A vegan TikToker has shared her disbelief after a popular restaurant refused to serve her, claiming they stated: "We don't cater for vegans".
Amie-Beth Steadman, from Essex, England, found herself in disbelief when she reached out to the renowned Chigwell-based barbecue hotspot, Sheesh, only to be met with a disheartening response.
After enquiring whether the eatery catered to her plant-based requirements, she was met with a blunt reply and aired her frustration to her TikTok following.
"Having visited Sheesh a few years ago and being a vegan, I noticed there were no vegan options on their main menu. I thought, maybe I could create a meal by combining some sides like chips and rice," she narrated in a three-minute video.
She explained that she had previously attempted a similar approach at the restaurant, but her request was denied. Undeterred, this time she decided to call ahead and gather more information about potential vegan offerings. However, her conversation with the restaurant employee allegedly took a turn.
Amie-Beth shared: "The lady on the phone outright stated, 'We don't cater for vegans.' My friend inquired further, suggesting the possibility of ordering a few sides to create a main dish, to which the employee's response was astounding."
The employee reportedly responded: "I don't even know why a vegan would even want to come to our restaurant anyway."
Amie-Beth expressed her dismay at the interaction, emphasizing that being a vegan is not unusual or out of the ordinary. "We were just asking a question. If that's your policy, fine, but to say 'why would a vegan even want to come here?' I find it hard to believe that a well-established restaurant could be so discourteous," she added.
The incident gained a wave of support from her social media audience, many of whom criticized Sheesh for its apparent insensitivity.
"If a restaurant doesn’t offer vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free options in 2023 it’s dead! No excuse," one user said, as a second added: "This is so bizarre, what is the issue with ordering multiple sides instead of a main I don’t get it."
However, not everyone shared the same understanding, with some pointing out that that eatery specializes in meat products.
"Do not take a vegan or a vegetarian to a BBQ restaurant, period. It really is that simple," a user chimed.
Amie-Beth promptly corrected this misconception, asserting that Sheesh is, in fact, a "Turkish restaurant" and highlighting that many Turkish establishments offer vegan options like falafel. She also noted that even steakhouses have accommodated vegan customers.
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