10 best practices for restaurant sustainability

Now that we’ve covered the top restaurant sustainability trends to watch, let’s cover 10 practices you can implement now to help your restaurant go green.

Diners are conscious of the environmental impact of single-use plastics, including their significant contribution to landfill waste and pollution. prefer restaurants that use eco-friendly packaging materials.

Instead of ordering plastic, invest in packaging made from natural materials like cornstarch or sugarcane. These ingredients are biodegradable, break down quickly, and reduce landfill waste. Another option is compostable packaging, which decomposes into nutrient-rich soil. The added benefit of compostable packaging is that consumers can use it to grow more food.

Transportation accounts for nearly 14% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. While transportation is a part of life, restaurants can optimize their delivery services for efficiency and less waste.

In terms of food delivery, you can use route optimization software to help drivers take the most efficient path, which cuts down on unnecessary mileage and emissions. You can also offer bicycle or electric vehicle delivery options.

Another way to reduce carbon emissions from delivery is to partner with delivery platforms that have eco-friendly initiatives like Uber. Uber offers electric and green delivery options and has committed to becoming a fully electric, zero-emission platform by 2040 globally.

Reducing food waste can start with restaurants. Consider investing in inventory management tools that track stock levels accurately and make sure you use food before it spoils.

Portion control is also effective. By serving appropriate portion sizes, you reduce the amount of food that ends up in the trash.

Consumers are looking for healthier and more sustainable menu items. For many consumers, this means adopting more plant-based products. One Kerry study found 2 main reasons for this:

• 67% of Brazilian consumers said they eat plant-based products for the health of themselves or their family
• 63% of US consumers said a plant-based diet is better for the environment
• 60% of UK consumers said it is healthier
• 51% of Australian consumers also cite its environmental impact

Perhaps that helps explain why global sales of plant-based foods are projected to reach $162 billion by 2030.

While adding healthy and plant-based menu items helps with global sustainability, there’s an added benefit for your business: 55% of consumers are willing to pay more for eco-friendly products—including food.

If you’ve been using old appliances in your restaurant, your problem is twofold.

First, older appliances are energy monsters. Appliance technology has advanced greatly in the past few years. New energy-efficient models can reduce your restaurant’s carbon footprint. When you look for new refrigerators, stoves, and ovens, make sure they’re Energy Star–rated.

Next, it means you’re spending more than you need to on energy bills. Although buying new appliances may be a large initial investment, you’ll save on your restaurant’s utility bills in the long run.

You’ve heard it once, and you’ll hear it again: “Reduce, reuse, and recycle.” We repeat these 3 R’s in society all the time for a reason—it works.

Separate glass, paper, and plastics from your general waste. Then commit to making sure the materials are properly processed. With these small changes, you’re doing one more thing to be green.

In the restaurant world, you can also add a “C” (for compost) to the 3 R’s. Composting organic waste, such as food scraps and biodegradable packaging, reduces landfill waste and turns it into organic material for local farms and gardens.

What’s the one thing worse than a big mess in a restaurant? A mess cleaned up with harsh chemicals. The harsh chemicals found in cleaning products can potentially impact the health of your employees and customers.

These chemicals also can contribute to water and air pollution. Cleaning product chemicals are sometimes washed into streams and rivers, and the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in cleaning products can affect air quality.

The alternative is to use eco-friendly cleaning products on ceilings, floors, and everything in between. This protects you, your employees, your customers, and the environment.

We’ve talked a lot about not adding waste to landfills and pollution to the air and water. But sustainability isn’t only about avoiding pollution. It’s also about not overusing natural resources.

Water is a valuable natural resource. And while water makes up 70% of the earth’s surface, freshwater is only 2.5% of the total.

Restaurants can reduce water usage in a variety of ways, including installing low-flow faucets and toilets, using water-efficient dishwashers, regularly checking plumbing, and being mindful of turning off faucets.

Sustainability can also extend into the interior design of your restaurant and the consumables you use. For example, you can buy reclaimed-wood furniture, reducing the demand for using new resources.

Also consider the tableware you use. Instead of serving meals on plastic or styrofoam serving trays, use dishes that you can wash (in your eco-friendly dishwasher).

The final piece of the sustainability puzzle is to get involved in meaningful ways with your local community. Collaborate with environmental organizations in your area on cleanup projects, recycling drives, and educational workshops.

If it makes sense and you have the room, you can even offer your restaurant as a place to host these events. Working with the community to keep your local area green leads to more sustainable behaviors from you, your staff, and your restaurant patrons. Above all, it strengthens your ties to the community.

As restaurants work toward sustainability, we’ll see a reduction in waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and more efficient resource use. This collective effort could lead to a healthier planet and inspire other industries to follow suit.

Besides the environmental impact, going green also has a positive effect on your restaurant’s finances: it can cut down on energy costs, save on gas from delivery, and attract loyal customers who are willing to spend more.

As you move forward in your journey to go green, start with Uber. Uber as a company is invested in building a more sustainable future with its restaurant partners.