Eating Vegetarian at School and Office Cafeterias: How to Talk to the Serving Staff

The basic principle of communicating well

Be friendly and specific about what you need — something like, "Could I get a bit more of this dish, and could you leave out the meat portion?" tends to be understood and acted on far more accurately than an abstract "I'm vegetarian."

Ongoing communication works even better

If it's a cafeteria you visit every day, the staff will often remember your habits once they get to know you — they may even set aside vegetable dishes for you or go easy on the animal fat without being asked. In a setting like this, a personal rapport often works better than any formal system.

On days when there's not much to choose from

Keep a backup plan ready: rice with pickled vegetables, plus some braised dried tofu or nuts you brought yourself. On days when the ingredients on offer aren't great, just make sure you eat enough — there's no need to stress over one imperfect meal.

A tip for beginners

The cafeteria is a place you'll be dealing with long-term, so it's worth investing a little effort into the relationship. Over time, you'll find that communicating there takes far less effort than you'd expect. If the cafeteria uses a self-service, open-counter setup, try going during quieter times to avoid the rush — staff are more willing to spend time explaining exactly how a dish is made when things aren't hectic. Keep it up for a while, and you'll find you've built a comfortable, mutually considerate rapport with the cafeteria staff.