Many a sustainable restaurant advisor will tell you that reducing your carbon footprint is already part of the green practices employed to be a sustainable foodservice operation. However, there is some merit in making the case that quantifying and defining this for your customers will go a long way toward them understanding your overall contribution. There is an interesting article that was recently published in QSR Magazine that talks about the very fact that customers may eventually expect to see “carbon footprint” ratings on the menu along side of calories and nutrition counts. According to one excerpt: “Some operators say customers will soon want a new kind of count posted for the public to see: size of the restaurant’s carbon footprint.” Here is the full story that we believe makes it possible but unlikely from a sustainable restaurant advisor viewpoint. On a separate note is the use of bottled water for sale and consumption at food and beverage businesses. Howard Cummins, our associate in charge of energy efficient restaurant consulting services asks “do you still want to purchase, store, sell and dispose of bottled water? Do you think your customers are going to demand it? Are they demanding it now? If so, how long will they be?” Watch this video and see if this is not one way to reduce your green restaurant investment. What would your customers and sustainable restaurant advisor say about the carbon footprint or sale of bottled water at your operation? Is this something you are considering as part of sustainable practices to improve on now or in the future? Please share your comments and input for our readers.
