OUR MISSION
Establish a loose organization to encourage vegan options at local dining spots thereby supporting small businesses, inspire chefs and restaurants to consider healthy, humane choices outside their normal offerings and to make this a viral movement of encouraging others to start Vegan Dining Clubs in their area. This is not a political organization as there are many reasons to be vegan. This is a friendly assembly designed to bring vegans and aspiring vegans together for a wonderful meal.
HOW TO ORGANIZE
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Identify a community organizer. This person will be responsible for soliciting local restaurants to offer a vegan option or vegan menu for one night with the promise that said organizer will bring enough hungry vegans to make it worth their while.
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Use Facebook for means of organization. Create a group on Facebook and name it Vegan Dinner Club - (Inserting your city at the end). Grow your Facebook page by adding anyone you know that is vegan, vegetarian or "Veg Curious", leaflet coffee shops, health food stores etc to expand your dinner club. And make sure to keep your page about the food! Leave issues for another day or group.
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Enlist a restaurant. Contact a perspective restaurant and coordinate a day. It's a good idea to pick a restaurant who normally does not offer vegan options. This way you can guide them on what constitutes a vegan ingredient and what does not. Make sure you know the restaurant's menu and politely suggest vegan alternatives they can offer. Remember, restaurants are very proud of their menu. It is not our goal to change them only to suggest some vegan choices.
HELPFUL HINTS
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Businesses get a lot of solicitors and may assume you are one. It is important to establish early that you are bringing them business they normally would not see. Encourage them to look at your Vegan Dinner Club Facebook page or at an established clubs Facebook page to help them get the full picture.
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Be very polite and appreciative of cooperating businesses. Make them want to ask you back. During the dinner acknowledge their effort to the group and most importantly, have fun with this!
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Establish a plan with your restaurant cohort, developing a menu and negotiating a meal price you can share with your club; people won't attend the dinner until they know how much it will cost them. Let the restaurant know how many people you estimate will attend.