5 Tactics to Create a Sustainable Restaurant Business
According to environmental experts, we only have a few years left until we can turn around the fate of our planet. With the environmental condition depleting at an alarming rate, we must take immediate action to do our part in reducing the damage that is inflicted on the earth every day. Sustainable business tactics are becoming the norm across several industries, and the food service one is no exception. Sustainable restaurants are essential because consumers are taking a conscious step towards understanding what they are eating, and how they can cut down their habits to reduce their carbon footprint. Many establishments are also actively working towards creating a sustainable restaurant model.
That is why it becomes increasingly important for restaurants to also regulate their business practices for sourcing and operations to become more environmentally beneficial. Since gross margins tend to be narrow in the restaurant industry, it’s best to opt for low-cost methods to implement tactics that drive a sustainable restaurant business. Here are 5 mindful tactics you can adopt to give your customers what they want and make your restaurant business more sustainable.
5 Practices to Make a Sustainable Restaurant Business
1. Make Use of Local and Seasonal Products
The biggest thing that can be done to make a sustainable restaurant is to go local and seasonal. The farther away your food comes from, the more carbon footprint it utilizes. Moreover, some food items are seasonal, and finding year-round alternatives to them is harmful to the environment. It takes up more resources to harvest and produce food items that are not available all the time.
Apart from being better for the environment, utilizing local products also uplift and amplify local sellers and vendors. Try to build your menu around products in your city. This does not necessarily mean a boring menu, as a creative mind would be able to make fusion and interesting recipes from local and seasonal food products as well! Local products also equal fresher and long-lasting food.
2. Lower and Manage Your Food Waste
The biggest contributor to an increased carbon footprint by restaurants is the waste they throw out. Not only is it a waste of the resources used to prepare and transport the food, along with the food itself, but it’s also a monetary loss for the business. Disposing of food waste into landmines also emits methane. It’s alright if you have just started off your business, and are still learning, but if your restaurant is well-established, you must have a plan in place to evaluate and practice waste reduction methods. Observe your customers’ daily amount of food consumption and only source as much raw material as is needed to build a truly sustainable restaurant.
3. Make a Conscious Effort to Cut Down on Water and Electricity
To follow this step, it’s essential to train your employees the right way. These resources will be used by your team the most, and they need to be made aware of the cause. You can make use of electricity in moderation in several mindful ways. Try taking as much advantage of natural lighting, and install timers on lights, or don’t turn on the AC when it’s not needed. Being conscious of water and electricity is a win-win situation. Not only will this be great for the environment, but also your pocket, as it will make the electricity and water bills go down!
4. Find an Alternative to Single-Use Plastic
The pandemic brought a huge change to the food service industry- the humongous expansion of home delivery and takeout. Although it’s convenient for consumers- it’s not as much for our environment. What goes unnoticed is the packaging of the food, mostly done in single-use plastic containers, bags, or boxes. And plastic is probably the worst possible thing for our environment.
Although plastic straws have left the picture completely, it doesn’t just end there. Consciously look for containers, tissues, beverage cups, or disposable materials that are compostable. For straws, don’t offer any unless asked for, and then give out paper, metal, or bamboo straws, which are reusable and recyclable!
5. Invest in High-Quality Equipment
Most of the recent appliances are made in ways that make them increasingly environment-friendlier than their older counterparts. Most of them are energy efficient, meaning they consume less energy than second-hand or old equipment. This also means you pay less for your electricity! And, they are also easier to repair. Even though they might cost more, they are a great investment in the long run for your sustainable restaurant business as well as the environment.
All the high-quality equipment that a restaurant requires, and is a profitable investment for your business’s future as well as the earth’s, are available at Restaurant. Store!
Conclusion
Every year we get closer to the point of no return from environmental damage. It’s now more of a need than ever to make sure your establishment is a sustainable restaurant or cafe. Additional ways to decrease your restaurant’s carbon footprint include going paperless, introducing more vegan and vegetarian choices on your menu, and auditing your supply chain. Apart from giving your customers what they want, it’s high time the industry starts building sustainability in their restaurant chains. As mentioned several times in the blog, not only do most of these tactics help the earth, but are also lighter to your pocket!
Moiz September 6, 2022