Comments on: Three Green Stars Awards: COK Rewards Its Program Partners

By: VeggieTart

VeggieTart — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:56:29 +0000

Tim, COK has worked with the restaurants to provide delicious vegan meals, and the restaurants are rewarded with publicity. More publicity means more people eat there. When a group of people goes out to eat, if one or more is vegan, that means the place they go has to have at least one or two vegan options. If it doesn't, restaurants lose that group's business.

COK has fewer than 10 employees (and no, I'm not one of them), so whether or not they voted for the winning restaurants is immaterial. The Green Stars program is relatively new, so hopefully they can refine the program in future contests.

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:10:37 +0000

Just to clarify my first paragraph.... What I mean is that non-COK restaurant patrons may like that the fact that a restaurant not only serves great food but also engages in charity functions that help animals.

I also agree with Dee's point. I know COK has done area outreach that extends well beyond the green star winners.

By: Gary

Gary — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:26:54 +0000

I understand the concern. But is it possible that people voted for these restaurants in part because of their outreach activities, including those with COK?

Tim, I understand your point, too. If COK was about a million times bigger and for-profit, its employees were raking in big bucks, and the group did not have a great reputation for tireless and dedicated activism, it would be more of a concern.

Maybe there could be a new rule: Winners cannot be on the slate the following year, at least in the categories in which they won.

By: dee

dee — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:21:08 +0000

As a vegan who knows many other vegans (who were not affiliated with COK) who voted in their 3 green stars, I'm pretty confident that taste was the major factor here, not who COK helped out. I think Asylum's brunch beats out the brunches of eateries owned by vegans; and Java Green is a favorite even amongst non-vegs (many don't know their "meat" isn't!). COK goes to as many local eateries as they can and tries to convince all of them to carry vegan food- they've even been encouraging Dunkin' Donuts to carry soymilk.

By: Tim Carman

Tim Carman — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:45:24 +0000

Dee,

What if the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which gives out Oscars, helped filmmakers make their pictures better and then voted to give those flicks the top awards. Would that bother you?

-Tim

By: dee

dee — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 23:31:19 +0000

Big deal... so they help places have more veggie meals, and as a result they become veg-friendly restaurants people vote for.