8 travel red flags that mean a “vegan option” might disappoint (and what to do instead)

Crafting the perfect trip as a vegan shouldn’t feel like a strategic battle plan.

But if you’ve traveled for more than five minutes, you already know the vegan option can land anywhere on the spectrum between surprisingly delightful and I guess I’ll eat fries again.

Over the years, I’ve learned to spot the early warning signs that a so-called vegan option might end up being a letdown. These red flags aren’t about being picky.

They’re about recognizing patterns so you can pivot and avoid hanger-induced decision fatigue.

Let’s get into it.

1) The menu says “vegan option available” but doesn’t list it

This one sounds small, but it’s actually one of the biggest red flags.

When a restaurant claims to have vegan options but doesn’t actually tell you what they are, what it usually means is that they don’t have any.

At least not intentionally.

They probably have a default we can remove the cheese approach, or you’re left negotiating with your server like you’re trying to defuse a diplomatic crisis.

When a place truly understands vegan food, they show it. It’s written out. Named. Described. They’re proud of it.

If you see vegan option available floating alone at the bottom of the menu, assume you’re about to get a bowl of iceberg lettuce or pasta with marinara that tastes like it came out of a can.

The right way to do it: Ask directly and clearly what the option actually is before committing.

If they start their answer with something like Well technically that’s your cue to leave graciously and find somewhere that takes plant-based food seriously.

2) Everything vegan on the menu is also marked gluten-free, sugar-free, soy-free, nut-free, and oil-free

Let me be clear. There’s nothing wrong with any of those things individually.

But when the only vegan dish checks every single dietary box, it usually isn’t a thoughtful plant-based creation.

It’s an overly restrictive dish designed to be the safe option for everyone and ends up satisfying no one.

I’ve mentioned this before in another piece, but when restaurants try to make one dish cover six different dietary categories, they strip away all the things that make food taste good.

You get a bowl of steamed vegetables, maybe some quinoa if you’re lucky, and a dressing so thin you wonder if someone whispered lemon over it.

How to handle it: Search reviews for pictures.

Travelers always upload food photos, and those pictures will tell you instantly whether the vegan option is a celebration or a punishment.

3) The servers look confused when you say “vegan”

You can tell so much from the reaction you get when you ask about plant-based dishes.

If a server responds confidently with something like Oh yeah, we’ve got a great tofu dish and the curry can be made vegan you’re in good hands.

If they stare at you like you just asked whether the restaurant accepts payment in ancient coins, not a good sign.

I once asked about vegan options in a small café in southern Italy.

The server pointed at a prosciutto sandwich and said No meat. Is fine. I smiled, thanked him, and walked straight to the nearest grocery store for hummus.

Better ways to navigate it: Use the word allergic sparingly, but sometimes stating clearly No dairy, no eggs cuts through the confusion.

Or skip the conversation entirely and choose a place that already labels dishes well.

4) The restaurant uses the word “vegan” in quotes

Nothing screams disappointment like quotation marks on a menu.

• “Vegan cheese”
• “Vegan burger”
• “Vegan platter”

The quotes are doing a lot of heavy lifting here. They hint that the restaurant isn’t sure what vegan means or they think it needs to be explained, justified, or softened.

A place confident in its vegan offerings doesn’t label them with ironic punctuation.

Your next best move: Whatever item is in quotes, don’t order it.

Look for naturally vegan dishes instead such as curries, stir-fries, grain bowls, Middle Eastern mezze, Thai vegetable dishes, or customizable poke bowls. These tend to be much safer bets.

5) The country’s cuisine isn’t naturally vegan-friendly and the restaurant isn’t adapting

Some destinations are incredible for vegans.

Others are not.

When local cuisine relies heavily on seafood, cheese, or meat broth, and the restaurant doesn’t offer modern updates or alternatives, you’re probably getting something bland and last-minute.

Traveling through Eastern Europe years ago, I landed in a restaurant where the vegan option was mashed potatoes made with butter, which they told me was not really dairy.

That was my cue to rely on fruit stands for the rest of that city.

Smart swaps to try: Before traveling, look up what the local cuisine offers naturally.

Nearly every culture has plant-based foundations, but you have to know what they are. Research these ahead of time so you can ask for specific swaps.

6) The vegan option is the same price as the meat dish but is clearly half the ingredients

This one still blows my mind.

A full steak meal might be 22 dollars.

The vegan dish might also be 22 dollars and consists of three mushrooms, a side of greens, and a decorative drizzle of something the chef insists is a reduction.

When the value isn’t there, it’s a sign the restaurant doesn’t really want vegan customers. They see plant-based diners as an inconvenience rather than an opportunity.

And that attitude always shows up in the taste of the food.

What to do instead: Check menus online before walking in.

If you can’t, scan the plates coming out of the kitchen. If everyone else’s dish looks hearty and yours looks like something you’d eat before a medical procedure, bail.

7) Everything “vegan” is actually vegetarian and they don’t seem to know the difference

This is one of the most common travel pitfalls.

Some restaurants genuinely believe butter is vegan.

Or they assume fish doesn’t count.

Or they think removing chicken from a salad that still has Caesar dressing magically makes it plant-based.

When you’re traveling, communication gets trickier, so misunderstandings happen more easily. But the real red flag is this. If the staff doesn’t understand the basics, they won’t get the details right.

You might end up with a dish cooked in animal fat or a sauce made with cream.

Better moves to make: Learn the essential phrases in the local language. Saying no milk, no butter, no eggs in the native tongue can save you from disappointment and stomach aches.

8) The restaurant’s only vegan option is a salad

Let’s have a moment of honesty.

If the only vegan dish on the menu is a salad, they didn’t create that for vegans. They created it for dieters in the early 2000s.

A salad can be incredible when designed with intention.

But a vegan option salad on an otherwise meat-heavy menu tends to be the kind where the lettuce is tired, the dressing is an afterthought, and the protein component is nonexistent.

I’ve been burned by this so many times while traveling that I treat salad as the vegan option as a siren warning me to run.

What to do instead: If I’m already seated, I ask if they can modify a warm dish like pasta, rice bowls, or stir-fries.

Most kitchens are much better at adjusting existing meals than building a meaningful salad from scratch.

If not, I excuse myself and find something better. There always is.

The takeaway

Traveling as a vegan doesn’t have to be a gamble.

If you pay attention to these red flags, you can avoid the sad salads, the flavorless grain bowls, and the mysterious vegan dishes that rely heavily on wishful thinking.

With a little preparation like scanning reviews, learning a few local phrases, and trusting your instincts, you can turn almost any trip into a delicious adventure.

The world is full of incredible plant-based food. You just have to know where not to waste your time.