The vegan was shocked to get an ‘insulting and unprofessional’ response when she asked for meat-free options on the menu.

An Edinburgh vegan has lashed out at restaurant Ravelston House in Musselburgh after receiving an ‘insulting and unprofessional’ response from the waiting staff.

According to Edinburgh Live, Lisa Cooney, who went to dine at Ravelston on Sunday (30 May) with her family, requested a waiter to help her with meat-free food options on their menu.

The waiter returned with a menu full of circled items along with a handwritten note that slipped onto the floor. It read: “The vegan sh*** has been circled.”

‘Angry and upset’

Shocked at the staff’s callous attitude, Cooney told Edinburgh Live: “I asked what options were vegan and the barman said he would ask the chef, he came back with the menu which had the items circled and he put the note on the bar, it fell from the bar and my dad picked it up and showed it to me.

“When I first read it I was in disbelief, then I was angry and upset, it’s insulting and so unprofessional, also the total disregard for any potential allergy is a worry.

“For a chef to have that mentality is quite shocking.”

Cooney added that when she brought the note to the manager’s notice after they had finished the meal, even he ‘apologised and agreed the note wasn’t acceptable’.

Complaints

Other customers have also reportedly faced the same indifference from the eatery’s staff.

A couple of other vegans have also complained about the restaurant’s poor food options and attitude.

A customer wrote on the restaurant’s Facebook page:  “They don’t seem to know their allergens at all, and write passive aggressive notes – actually not even passive at all, about their customers behind their back. That’s just horrible. I hope nobody dies because staff circle things as suitable that could kill people.

“I really hope it was just a mistake but with it being most things that were circled and also along with an aggressive note, I just feel I couldn’t trust this place.

“Please, please be careful if you have family/friends with food sensitivities/allergies/dietary requirements.”

An engineering consultant Tom Harper Anderson added: “Very poor vegan options. Even worse attitude.”

• Read: McDonald’s faces pressure to go 100% plant-based, activists block distribution centres

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Mohsina Dodhiya

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