If no vegetarian main course is offered for a set meal, should a vegetarian have to pay the same price?!
For our last reunion, I asked the organizers for a vegetarian option, or a discounted ticket price, and was told neither would be an option. Many class members were indecisive regarding the meal and ticket prices in general, resulting in the ticket prices and meal each done away with. The reunion still took place without charge as it was in a public venue.
I'm not trying to "rock the boat", but I cannot be the only vegetarian out of 800-1000 individuals and feel this is noninclusive. I'm sure if the tables were turned, and there was no "meat-itarian" option (as my husband calls it), people would be up in arms.
Answers:
Best Answer - Chosen by Voters
Is the meal a sit-down style or buffet?
If it's sit-down style, then you could complain that you aren't being offered the same AMOUNT of food for the same price if you have to choose from only vegetarian side dishes. A serving of lobster and steak is more food than a serving of soup and salad.
But if it's buffet style, then you can have as much of the vegetarian "side dishes" as you want, and so you really wouldn't have much room to complain about the price since the amount of food isn't an issue. You can create a still-filling meal from refills of soup or salad and have as much food as lobster and steak.
What's the resistance of the organizing committee to having a vegetarian main course option? Any reputable catering business would consider that to be a pretty standard part of a menu, especially for a guest list of 800-1000.
Doesn't sound like many in your graduating class truly left school at all the way that everyone is acting, which is one reason I have never attended a class reunion nor do I ever intend to do so.
It's also pretty silly to attempt to compare a dietary choice with a physical disability.
The $25 pays for more than just the food, so yes, a Vegetarian should have to pay the same price as everyone else. Otherwise if people got wind that Vegetarians paid less, everyone would say they're Vegetarian and order the meat dishes.
You should however, ask again if a Vegetarian entrée was a possibility, and if not, ask why not.
If there are not sufficient choices for you to make a $25 meal, do not pay for the meal ticket and eat elsewhere.
i don't think so. if you're not getting the same amount of food then you shouldn't have to pay for it. that's like going to a restaurant and them charging them for something you didn't get.
edit: i misread. i thought the meal was $25 after the ticket price. well that's the cost of admission and the meal is just included so i don't think you can fight that cause some people might not eat their meal.
sorry, some people on here jaded or something because they come online to whine, assume and pick with anyone that's a little different.
anyway, i wouldn't pay. i don't know why a catering company that is professional enough to food for 800-1000 people wouldn't have one vegetarian dish or couldn't even make one when it was requested ahead of time. that doesn't sound to professional. you shouldn't have to pay as much but they don't seem to want to change anything so i would eat before or after, sorry.
Some people are so rude on these boards. People love to hide behind their computer and be the person they could never be to some complete strangers face.
Anyway. To answer your question, I agree with @J that the $25 probably covers more than food. But I do asked for reduced priced at restaurants when I'm removing meat from say a pasta dish. I usually get $1 or $2 removed. I would definitely say something to them though about making sure that there were other vegetarian options listed. Meaning a little sign next to the bowl that says "vegetarian friendly". I don't think that's too much to ask. We live in a world where people have different needs. Like wheel chair ramps for example. But I bet if you needed a wheelchair ramp people online wouldn't get up in your face about it and call you a whiner.
Vegan
Of course you're trying to "rock the boat". You're doing the usual veg*n whine. "Why, oh, why doesn't the world revolve around ME and my vegetarianism."
You apparently succeeded at the last reunion and got things your way. I guess this year they're tired of you and not willing to change everything for 800 other people to please one. Good for them. If you don't want to spend $25, don't. But don't expect the rest of the world to cater to your whims.
Usually just a few people donate their time, energy and often money to put on these reunions. I think it's terrifically rude (but not surprising) that you are so ungrateful to them. Why haven't you volunteered to spend your time putting together the reunion? Then you would have input into meal planning?
ADDED in response to: "When going to a restaurant, where there is a set menu with limited options would you complain that the person who ordered a soup & salad did not have to pay as much as the person who ordered a lobster and steak dinner which included the same soup & salad? I'm only suggesting that I should not have to pay the same cost for a meal IF there is not going to be a main course vegetarian option made available. I would be willing to pay the same amount, if a vegetarian main course option would be made available."
No, I'd order the steak and lobster. You CHOOSE to only eat the soup and salad. Now you're whining about having to pay the established price. Again, if you don't want to spend the $$, don't. The meal committee apparently isn't interested in catering to one person's whim. I drive a fuel efficient car. Should I only have to pay half as much for a gallon of gasoline? No, the established price is the established price. I either pay it or stay home. It looks to me that you have the same option.
If you choose to go to the reunion, ask around who is vegetarian and unhappy with the menu options. If you can get a reasonable number of people to speak up, sign a petition, etc., present it to the reunion committee. If you have enough people, I can't imagine they wouldn't offer something to satisfy your requirements. But it will probably carry a surcharge because it will be a "speciality" item. I'm sure you know vegetarianism is out of the mainstream. Any special requests will usually cost more.
Comparing the vegetarian diet to ramps for the disbled is disgusting. No one CHOOSES to be disabled. Most every vegetarian CHOOSES to be vegetarian. Then many of them whine when it costs them $$$$ or their time. Or when people working their behinds off to put on an event don't drop everything to cater to their very special diet.
Am I rude? Nope. Just pointing out that you make choices, you must live with them.