Today is World Vegetarian Day. So Where Are the Deals?

Started in 1977 by the nonprofit North American Vegetarian Society, World Vegetarian Day is meant to promote vegetarianism. But while seemingly every possible food, drink and ingredient gets its own holiday accompanied by a slew of special offers, the day that’s been set aside to celebrate vegetarianism doesn’t appear to come with many perks. A search of “World Vegetarian Day deals” turns up very little. (Shout out to Taco Bell New Zealand for their 20% deal and California-based regional fast-food chain Baker’s Drive-Thru for their veggie taco deal)

What gives? Can’t businesses throw us even a token discount? About 5% of Americans are vegetarian or vegan, and plenty more are veg-curious. That works out to roughly 17-million people, which seems like a pretty decent pool of potential customers to entice with a deal.

So here’s an idea: ask for the World Vegetarian Day deal wherever you eat today. Better yet, keep asking for a Vegetarian Awareness Month deal for the next few weeks, right up until World Vegan Day on November 1st. It can’t hurt. Maybe you’ll get a deal, or maybe you’ll spread a little awareness about plant-based eating along the way.