“Having beef and chicken burgers on the menu just means our customers have the freedom to choose between plant-based and meat.
“There will always be a demand from some vegans who want to eat somewhere where no meat is cooked on the premises, but there aren’t enough to fill that demand.”
Mr Watson and Ms Foss, who launched their first Oowee diner in 2016 in Bristol, before opening other eateries in Brighton and London, had vowed to “push the boundaries of what vegan fast food can be”.
He previously said: “The more we looked at the potential of plant-based foods, the more we thought it would be the future of what we wanted to do.”
The firm will maintain four vegan-only sites but plans to expand its chain of American-style diners, where meat will firmly be on the menu.
Mr Watson said: “Sales at the vegan restaurants are good, but they don’t compare to our diner sites.
“If you’re specifically 100 per cent plant-based, then you’re going to struggle. Because most places do a good vegan menu, friendship groups that contain both plant-based and meat eaters can easily find somewhere that caters for both.”
The company was last year forced to close one of its vegan-only sites in Dalston, east London.
Plant-based rival Neat Burger shut half its outlets last year after recording a £7.9 million loss in 2022.
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
