“Swing to vegan” (in English “switch to vegan”) is the motto of the Austrian, purely vegan fast food chain “Swing Kitchen”. The founding couple Charly and Irene Schillinger have been eating vegan since the 1990s and want to use this philosophy to conquer system gastronomy. Their country inn near Vienna has now become a franchise with eleven locations in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
After Berlin, the presence in Munich was long overdue, Charly Schillinger announced on Wednesday at the opening of his twelfth branch. The ideal location was found on Gabelsbergerstrasse: central, lively and student-friendly. The new vegan neighbor could pose a challenge for the American fast-food giant.
The competition here gets off lightly, since Swing Kitchen in Vienna has already been able to take over two former locations of the aforementioned large chain. “That’s really fun,” jokes the trained chef Schillinger. His expansion plans for Bavaria are not yet complete. In Munich one sees “potential for at least five kitchens”, and a Nuremberg branch is also planned.
Charly’s braces and Irene’s polkadot dress aren’t the only things that create a sixties-style visual swing. Black and white dominates the restaurant, seating niches like in the American diner are made of light solid wood instead of red leather upholstery and drinks are served in dotted enamel mugs. You can’t avoid exposed brick and pots with green plants here either, it’s supposed to be “urban”.
The fast food chain relies on regional suppliers and sustainable seals.
(Photo: Lorenz Mehrlich)
The founders Charly and Irene Schillinger want to conquer system gastronomy with their vegan philosophy.
(Photo: Lorenz Mehrlich)
A novelty in the Munich restaurant is the open kitchen. Ordering and preparation are visible to the guest over the same counter. For faster expansion, Swing Kitchen had to become more compact. The kitchen integrated into the restaurant now makes it easier to find a location, says Schillingers.
Also new in the Munich concept: the “Loaded Fries”, i.e. fries with different toppings, not as a main course, but as a side dish for just under five euros. The fries themselves are naturally vegan, so things get more exciting with the spicy “Chili Cheese Bites” made from vegan cheese and the less spicy soy nuggets.
The open kitchen is a novelty.
(Photo: Lorenz Mehrlich)
The burger creations with soy patties are available individually for under ten euros or in a combination with fries and a drink for 13 to 15 euros. Vegan art only reaches its limits when it comes to dessert. The vegan tiramisu can only come close to the original without real mascarpone, but it still tastes good.
The Schillingers have lost none of their student activism as animal rights activists and have thought their concept through to the end. Here the vegan menu is packaged plastic-free or in reusable alternatives, they work with regional suppliers, and pay attention to sustainable seals and certifications.
They even had their “resource counter”, which counts the savings for each vegan product sold, certified by the TÜV. Irene thinks: “If you really want to make a difference, you have to think about what you eat during your lunch break.” There is a bit of a businesswoman in the environmental activist after all.