Paying the green tax
Should restaurants charge extra for vegan edibles? A restaurant owner and a consumer debate
“If it is costlier for us, we have to apply a surcharge”
“Every kirana has specialty milk. Still, eateries charge extra”
“If a customer prefers a type of milk that’s costlier, we add a surcharge to cover our costs” NITIN DIXIT
“Isn’t it ironic there’s a tax on every choice you make to save the planet?” MALIKA BUDHIRAJ
It is rather simple. Restaurant pricing is a factor of food costs. Take dairy milk. For a procuring restaurant, conventional dairy milk, even high quality, costs less than ₹100 litre. Soya milk, commercially sold, is fractionally higher in cost. Coconut milk costs more than soya. And nut milk (almond or cashew) costs significantly more, near ₹200.
If a customer has a preference for a particular type of milk, especially if it is costlier for us than dairy milk, we have to apply a surcharge to cover our costs.
It’s not our intention to create a surcharge for vegan options, but customers should get this basic cost/ price principle. Especially as we work with small-scale cooperatives or artisanal producers, whose cost structure is higher.
We are constantly looking to reduce our costs so that we can reach price parity.
I turned vegan in 2015 when the word vegan was hardly known in India. Looking for milk alternatives was like a treasure hunt. Only a few luxury hotels offered it. When cafes started adding soy milk to their menus, I was happy to pay the vegan tax as I finally felt included. But today, almost a decade later, when every kirane ki dukan has specialty milks, we’re still charged extra at restaurants for the milk in our coffee. This discourages consumers from even considering a cruelty-free, healthier, and sustainable alternative. By that logic, shouldn’t I get some refund every time I order coffee without milk? Isn’t it ironic that there’s a tax on every choice one makes to save the planet and the animals that live on it?For years, corporations and businesses have built their foundations on ego and capitalism. It’s time to change that.