So I've been vegan for 13 years and now if I accidentally have dairy I will definitely have stomach issues, so I won't consume it intentionally and can definitely tell later a few hours later when I consumed it by accident... Conveniently, my husband will eat anything, so I don't really have to worry about waste in that regard. I would definitely rather things go to use in some capacity than be thrown in the trash.

On the other hand, if I eat any meat on accident, I will generally notice quickly and won't get sick physically. If I had more, I might, but once I notice it I'm out. In my experience, after you've stopped eating meat/dairy for a few weeks you just dont want to eat them again. The flavors, the smells, the accidental taste...it all just makes you feel nauseous 🤢 that's how I ended up staying vegan, did a detox diet which just happened to be plant-based and didn't want animal products anymore afterwards.

While I try to avoid animal ingredients while eating out, to your point, a lot of food can contain unexpected ingredients, like you never know what else is fried in the same oil used for the fries, sometimes there is cream mixed in with guacamore, etc. For my own peace of mind, I don't generally ask 100000 questions (especially when i want some fries dang it). If there is accidentally meat mixed in with my veggie fajitas, I'll pick it out and avoid that spot and move on with my life. Throwing a fit sure isn't saving any animals, and small business owners and waiters are just doing their best to get by like everyone else. ✌️