Optimal management of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) includes a heart healthy diet. We evaluated associations between patient characteristics with the decision to enroll in a dietary intervention study. The EVADE CAD trial was a randomized trial assessing the impact of eight weeks of a vegan versus AHA-recommended diet on inflammatory and glucometabolic profiles in patients with angiographically-defined CAD. Characteristics of subjects who provided informed consent to participate in EVADE CAD but did not attend the initial visit and were not enrolled (n=40) were compared to those who were compliant with the visit and enrolled in the trial (n=100). After multivariable adjustment, lower body mass index (OR 0.89 [0.81–0.97)], p=0.01), active tobacco use (OR 6.0 [1.5–24.9], p=0.01), and greater number of vessels with CAD (OR 1.8 [1.1–3.0], p=0.03) were independent predictors of non-enrollment. These results identify discrete characteristics that may be predictive of lower engagement in dietary interventions.