This is a petition to reclassify “Oriental” from Applebee’s menu. Applebee’s menu features an “Oriental chicken salad” with the following description: “fresh Asian greens tossed in a tasty Oriental vinaigrette.”  We want to discontinue its current use and replace it with terminology that is inoffensive. 

Why is using “Oriental” problematic?

1. This use of “Oriental” and “Asian” is rooted in the “all look same” stereotypes of Asian culture. We need to stand against viewing Asians as a monolith, which blurs the lines of different Asian cultures, including the erasure of South Asians.
2. The terms utilized to describe these salads are outdated, derogatory, and offensive. Additionally, these salads are not based on any Asian country, only based on bland generalization and lazy misappropriation.
3. The Obama Administration enacted legislation sponsored by U.S. Representative Grace Meng, eliminating “Oriental” from U.S. Government documents when referring to people of Asian American heritage.
4. There is a growing global awakening towards dismantling colonialism, systemic racism, and white supremacy. As we work toward equitable representation of BIPOC and marginalized people, changing our language is a small gesture to become more inclusive.
5. Asian Hate crimes have risen since the start of the pandemic. This is largely due to the continued Othering and dehumanizing of many cultures perpetrated by Orientalism, which continues to uphold colonial mindset.
6.  Many people, including some Asians, might view this as “not a big deal”, we are sensitive or there are bigger issues to focus on. However, hatred and prejudice are pervasive and kept alive through our language. Combatting subtle and casual racism allows us to be one step closer to a progressive future and we desperately need to improve the social attitudes to listen to BIPOC voices.

Bonnie Tsui, a journalist, wrote a New York Times op-ed in 2017 asking, “Why is Asian salad still on the menu?”, where she discussed the casual racism and misappropriation behind the foods such as Asian Salad. 

The bottom line is that a salad does not and can not have an ethnicity. Even with Bonnie Tsui writing that article almost 5 years ago and generating vehement discussion, there have been ZERO changes to Applebee’s menu, demonstrating that this isn’t simply an issue born out of ignorance but it is pure stubbornness and microaggressions. 

Applebee’s self-describes the salad as a “long-running” favorite, it’s time to stop. If Applebee’s food chain agrees to change the offensive name, other food chains with those names are likely to follow suit, especially if this petition gains traction. So please share with your friends and family, thank you!

This petition is made possible by POC students across California.

Taryn Thomas 
Ahmed Bahjri
Esther Kim 

Credit for language and examples used as a model for this petition: 

Change.org petition by the Scent Festival

Bonnie Tsui - “Why is Asian Salad Still on the Menu?”

Food is supposed to reunite us, not divide us. DECOLONIZE OUR FOODS !!!

Contact us at:

decolonizeourfoods@gmail.com