Green Restaurants

How exciting it was to see the green agenda at the National Restaurant Association’s annual show in Chicago recently. This is such a huge industry and it is so encouraging to see how the green movement is gaining momentum. I came across the following news release:

"There is often a perception that ‘going green’ is expensive and not realistic for everyone, but many of these practices can actually boost business," said William C. Anton, FMP, convention chairman for the 2008 Show and chairman and founder of Anton Airfood Inc. "By taking even small steps and reaching for low-hanging fruit, restaurant operators can increase their efforts and in turn, their bottom lines. The 2009 NRA Show offers opportunities to learn how to implement environmentally responsible practices that also help conserve financial resources. In addition, these efforts can help drive customer traffic, as consumers increasingly make purchasing decisions based on eco-consciousness."

After reading this news release I did a search on the Web and there is so much information available now to assist restaurants in their efforts. Hopefully hotel restaurants will start to access these sites, read the good stories and adopt some of the practices. Going green can be most advantageous to a restaurant because dining is often quite a considered decision and customers are becoming more environmentally conscious. Most restaurants already behave in a sustainable way with menu design, purchasing decisions, recycling and energy saving. They do this because of the effect it has on the bottom line. Perhaps it is now time to articulate these actions to see just how they fit with “going green.” You may be greener than you think and perhaps your customers would like to hear about that.