An unusual or standard Vegetarian?

[Bistrobore]

I work in a busy bistro.

We had a customer email for a booking recently and listed a couple of dietary requirements for the booking, all fine, all normal and completely easy to accommodate.

But one of the diners was a "lacto ovo vegetarian".

Staff had a chat about this and our conclusion was this is a vegetarian who eats dairy and eggs.

Customers came, had lovely meal, and all was good. And left 5* TripAdvisor review 🌟.

So my AIBU?

Yanbu : you're right, this is a bog standard vegetarian.

Yabu : totes wrong this is some sort of Special Vegetarian.

Vegetarians DO eat eggs and lactose, vegans do not

Lacto-ovo is a descriptor commonly used by vegetarians who don’t want to be confused with vegans and get the dairy free options when they might enjoy something cheese based.

you had a great customer who was highly informative upfront, gave you a top review, and everyone is left happy.

YABU because customers are our best source of education Etc.

Some vegetarians don't eat cheese that is made from rennet

Oops. Sorry posted to soon. So I'd assume this was a vegetarian who ate all cheeses.

It’s what they call it when you order an airline meal so I’d say it’s an accepted description of standard vegetarian and one who really doesn’t want to be served grim vegan cheese!

I understand the at they are clarifying. But we're a business with a professional chef, we know what the difference is between vegans and vegetarians.

They were very happy with the cheesy offerings.

Yes to the above! So many times I’ve been served a vegan meal as a vegetarian and I don’t want the fake cheese! So I have specified before that I eat dairy and eggs and am also vegetarian :)

They might just use that description everywhere they go though so they can eat cheese

Yes we're really cautious about the cheeses for vegetarians - certainly didn't serve the parmesan crisps to this customer.

Ooh interesting! We didn't know that. Wondered where the phrase had originated.

That description has been around for ever, though it's not one I would use. Conversations often go like this "can I have the veggie lasagna" (companion) " oh are you vegetarian?" (Me) "yes" (companion) do you eat fish?" (Me) "no" (companion) "oh you're a vegan then?" (Sound of me banging head on table).
A lot of people (hopefully not chefs - though I have to decline Parmesan a lot) seem very confused about what being vegetarian is.

I also meant to say, I think it's lovely your bistro took such care over the dietary needs of your customers.

It’s your customer simply being explicit about dietary needs,to help guide in food prep
Sounds like a mutually good experience, your chef understands the dietary requirements and the customer left 5⭐️Review

To confuse things further there's pure vegetarians who don't eat eggs, but do eat dairy

though I have to decline Parmesan a lot Why do you have to decline Parmesan? If because of rennet, there’s a lot of other cheeses made with rennet. Or is there something else in Parmesan?

Hahahaha, so many professional chefs don't.

I was once at a conference dinner with 100 or so vegetarians, the catering staff tried to serve us all fish. I have also, in the other direction, been given an apple for dessert instead of cake because it is assumed that vegetarian= vegan.

I now always write out: I am vegetarian which means I do not eat meat or fish but I do eat eggs and dairy.

It means that they don’t want to be given crap processed vegan dairy/egg substitutes!

The worst thing to happen to vegetarians was vegans. There are hardly any vegetarian dishes anymore. Pisses me right off.

I'd have assumed they were vegetarian and didn't eat dairy or eggs! I'd have been completely wrong but then I know vegetarians usually do eat dairy or eggs so wouldn't need the clarification.

i actually think the increased prominence & prevalence of vegans has really helped us vegetarians. Most places now offer something a vegetarian can eat I've been vegetarian for years and it’s at times it’s been difficult. Most bizzare offering I got was a plate of green beans, with a half lemon and sachet of butter.

And of course it was common to just have vegetarian option listed and yiu had to take your chances see what random selection were offered.

I ate cheese and eggs when I was a vegetarian.

I love vegan cakes, cream, butter, milk but they can’t seem to crack cheese.
I do like mcplant cheese, can’t imagine it on a cracker though!

Traditional parmesan is made using animal rennet. It's not allowed to be called parmesan unless it is made this way. Therefore, normal parmesan is not vegetarian and should be given to vegetarians. The bog standard hard chees alternatives tend to be veggie, and are usually marked on the packaging accordingly.

Lots of people don't know this, and it seems as if lots of restaurants don't either, which is problematic for us veggies, as it means we have to ask lots of questions specific to what kind of parmesan they use (if it's real, or if it's a hard cheese alternative).

That's the short version!

It's a standard vegetarian but a useful descriptor because you get lacto-vegetarians (dairy but no eggs) and ovo vegetarians (eggs but no dairy) and vegans who don't eat eggs, dairy or honey.

Also, IME as a vegetarian, a lot of businesses don't know what a vegetarian is! I've been given fish as the veggie option at a wedding, as has DH at another wedding. I also had a right faff at a work event 8 years ago trying to convince a large catering company that chicken wasn't a suitable veggie option, nor was salmon. They only agreed an actual veggie dish for the vegetarians on the morning of the event.

But we're a business with a professional chef, we know what the difference is between vegans and vegetarians

That is great but not everywhere does. This vegetarian is just being precise so there's no misunderstandings.