C.R. dining market lacks meatless options

To all Cedar Rapids restaurant owners and festival organizers: By not including meatless options on your menus, you are losing money.

In 2008, data collected by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau showed that “3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, follow a vegetarian-based diet. In addition,

10 percent of U.S. adults, or 22.8 million people, say they largely follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.”

You might think it isn't worth your trouble to cater to our city's comparatively tiny population of meatless diners. But when you neglect to offer any vegetarian choice on your menu besides a plate of lettuce or a quesadilla appetizer, you lose not only me as a customer, but my whole family. For want of a $1 frozen veggie patty or some stir-fry vegetables in the freezer, you've lost the revenue from feeding my hungry husband and his two teenage sons, meat eaters all.

Throw a $5 packet of four soy burgers in your freezer. Sell one to me with the usual sides for a dollar more than a real hamburger. I'm happy. My family is happy. You should be happy. And we'll be back. Ka-Ching!

Sheri Albrecht

Walford