Maximize Conversation In Your Operation
The lead-up to Earth Day, which takes place on April 22, is an ideal time to evaluate your business’ environmental footprint and look for opportunities to reduce, reuse and recycle. Being efficient with your resources can lower your bills, but the benefits go even further.
Consumers are interested in companies that share their values. Using eco-friendly practices is a way to show patrons that you care about the environment, which can increase brand loyalty. These are some of the steps you can take to operate more sustainably.
- Review your utility costs to see where you most need to cut back, and talk to your employees about the changes you want to make. That way, they’ll know how to alter their routines going forward and can make suggestions about areas for improvement.
- Reduce food waste by making the most out of each ingredient to minimize what you have to throw away. You can help customers limit food waste by giving them choices for portion size and encouraging them to take leftovers home.
- To use less water, serve it only to diners who request it and fully load your dishwasher before each run. Low-flow appliances can also help—especially if you make sure not to leave them running more than necessary.
- It’s also important to turn off lights and equipment when they’re not in active use. Consider investing in LED lights and ENERGY STAR® certified equipment, which can offer long-term savings because of their energy efficiency.
- Clean your equipment and schedule maintenance as needed to ensure everything runs as effectively as possible. The way you arrange the units is also important—put the hot and cold ones in separate parts of your back of house so they don’t counteract each other.
What are your conservation strategies? Fill us in on Facebook and LinkedIn, and read through our Tips to find more inspiration for your operation.
SOURCES
Top 10 Energy Conservation Tips for Restaurants, WebstaurantStore, January 2018.
Top 10 Energy Saving Tips for Restaurants, Total Food Service, December 2016.
10 Tips to Lower Your Restaurant’s Water Bill, Food Newsfeed, February 2018
