Introducing Dog Haus
Dog Haus is a growing restaurant chain that specializes in gourmet hot dogs, sausages, burgers, and more. The restaurant was founded in 2010 by André Vener and Quasim Riaz, two friends who shared a passion for food. The first Dog Haus location opened in Pasadena, California and has since expanded to over 50 locations across the country (Dog Haus).
Dog Haus has become known for its creative spins on classic American fare like hot dogs, burgers, and fries. Their menu features all beef skinless dogs, hand-crafted sausages, burgers made with 100% Black Angus beef, and signature Haus Cuts. Everything is made with high quality ingredients and can be customized with a variety of toppings and Haus made sauces.
In addition to their signature items, Dog Haus offers fried chicken sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, wings, salads, and sides like Haus Spiced Fries and Haus Chili. They also have a variety of craft beers on tap as well as specialty shakes and floats.
The brand’s motto is “Eat Haus Specialties” which emphasizes their commitment to serving high quality comfort food with a gourmet twist. With its laidback vibe and emphasis on customization, Dog Haus aims to give guests a fun and indulgent dining experience.
Popularity of Veganism
Veganism and plant-based eating has been growing in popularity in recent years. According to The Vegan Society, the number of vegans in Great Britain has risen to between 2-3% of the population. In the United States, the plant-based market is projected to grow at nearly 19% between 2021-2026, with plant-based meat currently making up 2% of all packaged meat sold in the country (Soylent). The uptick in vegan and plant-based lifestyles reflects a greater awareness of the health and environmental benefits of reducing meat consumption.
Vegan Diet Overview
A vegan diet involves eliminating all animal products and consuming only plant-based foods. According to the NHS, the vegan diet is based on vegetables, grains, nuts, and fruits https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-eat-a-balanced-diet/the-vegan-diet/. Vegans avoid consuming any foods that come from animals, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, and honey.
Foods that vegans eat include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, plant-based milks (soy, almond, oat), and meat substitutes made from plants. Foods restricted on a vegan diet include meats, fish, eggs, dairy, honey, and any products containing animal-derived ingredients https://foodinsight.org/basics-of-vegan-diet/.
There are several reasons people choose to follow a vegan diet, including animal welfare, environmental concerns, potential health benefits, and personal ethics. Many vegans cite avoiding animal cruelty and exploitation as a motivation. Others aim to reduce environmental impact by eating lower on the food chain. Possible health benefits such as reduced heart disease risk have also drawn interest. Ultimately, the choice reflects a compassionate, sustainable, and ethical lifestyle for many adherents.
Importance of Vegan Options
In recent years, there has been a growing demand from consumers for more plant-based and vegan options at restaurants. Offering vegan choices provides several key benefits for restaurants:
Having vegan menu items helps restaurants appeal to and retain a larger customer base. With more people adopting vegan diets, restaurants that fail to offer quality vegan options may lose a portion of potential customers to competitors that do accommodate plant-based eating. Providing tasty and satisfying vegan dishes ensures restaurants can meet the needs of all diners.
In addition to attracting new vegan and vegetarian patrons, offering plant-based dishes has been shown to provide restaurants with a significant sales boost. According to one report, restaurants that added vegan options saw revenue increases around 30% on average. Vegan menu items tend to have higher profit margins as well.
Consumer surveys indicate the demand for vegan dining options continues to rise. A report from DoorDash found that vegan orders increased by 2,500% from 2019 to 2022. With more consumers seeking plant-based meal choices for health, environmental, and ethical reasons, restaurants that meet this demand can maximize their potential customer reach.
Dog Haus Bun Ingredients
The main ingredients in Dog Haus buns include all-purpose flour, water, sugar, yeast, salt, canola oil, and occasionally eggs and/or dairy products like milk or butter, according to the Dog Haus bun recipe listed on the Hallmark Channel website.
While the classic Dog Haus buns contain eggs and dairy ingredients like butter and milk, Dog Haus does offer vegan bun options. Their vegan buns omit eggs, dairy, and other animal products. According to the Dog Haus online menu, their vegan buns contain filtered water, unbleached enriched wheat flour, sugar, palm oil, yeast, sea salt, dough conditioners, vegetable protein, wheat gluten, and enzymes.
Assessing Vegan Status
For a food to be considered vegan, it must not contain any animal products or byproducts (WebMD, 2022). This means avoiding ingredients like meat, eggs, dairy, honey, gelatin and more. According to the Vegan Society’s criteria, for a food to be vegan it must not contain or use (WebMD, 2022):
- Meat, poultry, fish, shellfish or insects
- Eggs
- Dairy products
- Honey
- Gelatin
- Animal-derived ingredients like whey or casein
When examining the ingredients of Dog Haus’s signature King’s Hawaiian buns, it appears they do contain some animal products. The ingredient list includes ingredients like milk, eggs, and honey (Dog Haus, 2022). While the buns themselves are not vegan, Dog Haus does offer vegan burger patties and sausage proteins that can be served on lettuce wrap “buns” to create a vegan sandwich option. They also offer several vegan side dishes and plant-based proteins. So while the signature buns contain animal products, Dog Haus does accommodate vegan diners in other ways.
Dog Haus Vegan Offerings
Dog Haus has a variety of vegan offerings on their menu beyond just the buns. They offer the Impossible burger patty and two types of Beyond Meat sausages, which can all be made vegan by omitting the cheese and requesting a vegan bun (SOOO VEGGIE – Dog Haus North Hollywood menu). The Impossible burger and Beyond Meat sausages are made from plant-based ingredients and contain no animal products.
For a completely vegan sandwich option, customers can order the Sooo Veggie sandwich which comes with avocado, spinach, tomato, onion, and vegan mayo on a vegan French roll bun (Yelp). Lettuce wraps are another popular vegan preparation choice at Dog Haus.
While their menu is not exclusively vegan, Dog Haus does make an effort to provide clearly labeled vegan options by marking items as vegan on their online menus. Customers looking for more vegan choices can also substitute and customize existing burgers and sandwiches to be made vegan.
Vegan Dining at Dog Haus
The overall dining experience as a vegan at Dog Haus has been described as positive by reviewers at https://www.happycow.net/reviews/dog-haus-vista-180080. The restaurant accommodates vegan requests and has several clearly labeled vegan options. While the menu is limited for vegans compared to meat-eaters, Dog Haus does provide quality plant-based alternatives to their signature items.
The best options for vegans are the Beyond Brat vegan sausage, veggie dog, cauliflower wings, Impossible burger, and vegan sliders made with either Beyond or Impossible meat. The veggie dog and cauliflower wings are the most budget-friendly while still providing flavor and satisfaction. The Beyond and Impossible options offer the closest plant-based analogues to meat. Those wanting a hearty sit-down meal will appreciate the Impossible burger paired with vegan toppings, sauces, buns, and sides.
While vegan diners may feel constrained by the menu offerings compared to omnivores, Dog Haus makes an effort to creatively adapt their dishes for plant-based patrons. With advance notice, additional vegan customizations may be possible. Overall, Dog Haus satisfies cravings for American comfort food in a vegan-friendly setting.
Requests for More Vegan Options
As the popularity of veganism continues to grow, many Dog Haus customers have requested expanded plant-based offerings through customer feedback surveys and direct outreach to the company. According to a Dog Haus menu analysis, the most common requests are for more vegan protein options beyond the Impossible burger and vegan sausage currently offered. Customers also ask for additional vegan cheeses, spreads, sauces, and even fully vegan desserts.
Dog Haus has responded positively to consumer demand for more vegan fare. In 2021, Dog Haus began testing a new vegan protein option made from pea protein in select locations after receiving feedback. They also expanded their vegan sausages to two options instead of just one. While Dog Haus has not yet committed to rolling out a fully vegan menu, their willingness to test and add vegan items shows they are listening to customer requests, especially from the growing vegan demographic.
The Verdict
Based on a close inspection of the ingredients that go into a standard Dog Haus bun, it’s clear that they are unfortunately not vegan friendly. Dog Haus buns contain milk, eggs, and butter, which means they are off-limits for those following a vegan diet.
While the traditional buns are not vegan, Dog Haus does offer some excellent vegan options. They have a vegan bun that can be substituted in any of their signature all beef hot dogs or sausages to make a completely plant-based meal. For sides, the Haus chips and fries are cooked in vegan oil. Additionally, you can build your own salad or burger with vegan proteins like the Beyond Meat bratwurst or Impossible burger patty. They also offer dairy-free substitutions for cheese and sauces.
So even though the traditional buns contain animal products, Dog Haus goes out of its way to provide high quality vegan options. Vegans can enjoy the unique Dog Haus flavors by ordering a customized meal with the vegan bun and plant-based proteins. With the right substitutions, you can still get a satisfying vegan dining experience at Dog Haus.