Interesting and brief item on Vegan.com where in "restaurant turn-around artist" (what is that, anyway?) Erik Blauberg states that it is becoming increasingly important for restaurants to offer vegan dishes, as part of the need to offer diverse dishes to satisfy a diversity of customers.
He goes so far as to say: "... if there is a vegan at the table, they will dictate the order."
So, I must confess this is not really my experience. Perhaps I've already well-established with my posse that I'm easygoing and won't mind if they order meat.
Anyone out there think that their friends and family are ordering more veg*n dishes when they go out?