Catering to growing demand from students, the University of North Texas in Denton has opened what’s believed to be the first all-vegan full-service campus cafeteria.
Dubbed “Mean Greens,” as a nod to the school’s football team, the dining hall has proved to be immensely popular since it opened for the fall semester. Lines have been snaking out the door, according to a report from Reuters.
The UNT cafeteria serves no animal products at all—no meat, milk or eggs. What’s on the menu are choices such as paninis made with fresh focaccia bread, vegetarian sushi, roasted vegetables seared on an open griddle right in front of students, and desserts like bananas foster.
Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) bestowed its Compassionate Campus award to UNT for responding to students’ request for increased vegan options.
The UNT vegan dining hall may be the first in the nation. But it likely won’t be the last. According to surveys of hundreds of colleges commissioned by such contract feeders as ARAMARK and Bon Appetit, about 25 percent of students today are actively seeking vegan menu choices.
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