Why Go Green in a Commercial Kitchen?

Save Money

Even if the environment were not an issue, going green would still save you a lot of money on utilities in the long run.

• Lower energy bills. An upgrade to energy-efficient equipment can almost halve your energy usage, and local governments and utility companies around the country offer substantial rebates for consumers purchasing ENERGY STAR® qualified equipment.
• Lower water bills. Taking steps to conserve water can save you a surprising amount of money on your next utility bill, and due to fresh water shortages, water prices could soon begin inflating as rapidly as energy costs.
• Improve worker productivity. Studies show that using energy-efficient equipment and green cleaning supplies improves worker productivity by reducing heat levels and the presence of hazardous chemicals.
  

Save Customers

Consumers are more aware of their impact on the environment than ever before. According to a 2008 National Restaurant Association survey, almost 62% of diners say they would prefer to eat at an environmentally friendly restaurant. If you want to retain your existing customers and attract new ones, you need to go green. The initial cost of greening a restaurant is far less than the cost of losing your customers. Your customers care. So should you.

Save the Environment

The amount of energy use, water use and waste production in food service makes it one of the least sustainable industries. Commercial kitchens pollute the air, water and soil simply by operating. Go green to reduce your business’s impact on the environment.

• Prevent air pollution. Using eco-friendly cleaners and lowering energy consumption can greatly reduce the amount of harmful emissions indirectly caused by your business’s operation.
• Reduce waste. Sadly, one of the largest manmade structures in the world is a landfill. The staggering amount of waste we produce not only takes up space, it contaminates air, water and soil.
• Save water. The earth’s fresh water supply is being rapidly depleted. The U.S. government predicts that 36 states will face water shortages in the next five years.

A typical restaurant consumes excessive amounts of water and energy, creates tons of waste and uses toxic cleaning chemicals to sanitize their wares. While customers love to eat out, they are becoming increasingly aware of their impact on the environment. Saving the environment is vital to your business’s success. Go green and get ahead of the game.

Publicize Your Joint

Smaller businesses could benefit from imitating the marketing tactics of larger foodservice chains. Your restaurant probably cannot afford to float a target into the middle of the ocean, but there are many other ways to create a newsworthy story. You could try one of the following tactics:

Unique events.

The more unusual the event, the more likely it is to get press. For example, a live show by a local band probably will not generate that much publicity. However, a live show with fire jugglers might. A wine tasting probably will not make the news, but a community cook-off where the winning dish is featured on your menu might be newsworthy.

Special occasion stunts.

Taco Bell’s April Fool’s prank is a perfect example, but your stunt does not have to be so large-scale. For Thanksgiving, you could send an employee out to walk the nearby streets gobbling, dressed as a giant turkey. On Halloween, consider serving special Halloween items, like eyeball soup. Be creative, and you will at least entertain your customers and attract some attention, even if you do not make it into the papers.

Unusual products.

Sometimes, an unusual product can get you some press. For example, Burger King got press when they decided to sell the “left-handed Whopper,” although the publicity stunt partly backfired when it became clear that left-handed Whoppers were not available. You could begin offering a variety of unique products at your restaurant, like pepper jelly or alligator tail steaks, either as a one-time promotion or as a daily special. You could also start experimenting with molecular gastronomy to create interesting textures and add an avant-garde element to your cuisine.

To create newsworthy stories, you need to think outside the box. Publicity stunts may seem outrageous, but they offer a practical way to get people talking about your restaurant. By following the example of some of the big restaurant chains and pulling a publicity stunt, you might be able to attract more new customers than you ever thought possible.

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