Food outlets offering ‘vegetarian only’ food are a common sight in India, but a signboard at a restaurant in Kerala drew attention to its unusual warning that these were ‘non-vegetarian restaurants’.
Trend post ads among “mall restaurants”
A post uploaded by X user @RishiJoeSanu claimed that some “Mallu restaurants” have started displaying prominent “non-vegetarian” boards to avoid what he called “reputational damage” caused by “vegetarian baiting” on social media. The claim quickly attracted attention and sparked discussions about transparency, food preferences and regional eating habits.
A signboard clarifies cooking procedures
A picture posted on X had the caption, “We are a completely non-vegetarian restaurant.” She further clarified that the vegetarian dishes available were only “for variety”, adding that “both are cooked in a common kitchen”. According to the user, the board was spotted at Paragon – a restaurant often described as “one of the best restaurants in the world”.
Mixed reactions online
The post quickly gained attention, drawing reactions ranging from amusement to approval. Users took to the comments to share similar examples. One user posted a photo from another restaurant with the tagline “pure no veg” and added, “Pune has been doing this since ages!”
Several others supported the move. One user wrote: “Good move actually. People can call knowingly.”
Another user added: “This is the best way, now it’s up to me if I want to eat or not.”
Regional practices highlighted
One commenter pointed out that such cooking practices are common in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, writing, “That’s the default in Madurai. You don’t get any vegetarian options in normal Madurai restaurants.”
Another user speculated that the signboard may be a response to “some vegetarians, especially from North India, who tend to get triggered when they know that vegetable dishes are prepared in the same kitchen as meat or fish”.
