Environmental responsibility is becoming a bigger part of operating a modern restaurant, and guests are paying attention. As awareness grows, diners want to support businesses that make it easier for them to make sustainable choices.  

More than half of consumers say they want restaurants to help them act more sustainably. That means the opportunities for restaurants to embrace eco‑friendly practices have never been greater.

Sustainability isn’t just about being “green.” It’s about running a tighter operation: reducing waste, using resources efficiently, and building a brand that today’s eco-conscious guests feel good about supporting.

Trash Talk

Restaurants can generate significant amounts of food waste, but it is one of the biggest (and most fixable) challenges in foodservice. When excess food ends up in landfills, it produces methane — a potent greenhouse gas — but it also represents lost dollars, time, and labor.

Even if food waste can’t be eliminated entirely, composting turns scraps into nutrient-rich material that supports soil health. Items like eggshells, produce peels, coffee grounds, and uncoated paper products all make excellent compost. A good compost mix includes:

• 25–50% “green” waste (food scraps, coffee grounds, vegetable peels)
• 50–75% “brown” waste (paper, cardboard, dry plant material)

If you don’t track it, you can’t fix it. Auditing what’s being thrown out, and why, can reveal over-ordering, prep inefficiencies, or menu items that aren’t pulling their weight. Over time, these insights lead to smarter purchasing, tighter prep, and better margins.

Clean Meets Green

From restrooms to handwashing stations, hygiene products are non-negotiable — but they’re also an easy place to make smarter swaps. Products made from recycled fibers or responsibly sourced materials can dramatically reduce environmental impact, and in many cases, improve day-to-day operations by:

• Lowering reliance on virgin materials
• Reducing waste in landfills
• Minimizing the carbon footprint associated with production

High‑efficiency paper towel systems — especially those that dispense one towel at a time, — also help control usage, cutting down on waste and restocking frequency. Sustainable paper products today aren’t the rough, flimsy versions people might expect. They’re:

• Softer and more comfortable
• Reliable and efficient
• Better at keeping restrooms clean and manageable

Guests notice, and appreciate, when a restaurant invests in sustainable, user-friendly hygiene products.

Smarter Sourcing

What’s on the plate, and where it comes from, has a direct impact on a restaurant’s footprint. Leaning into seasonal, locally produced ingredients reduces transportation emissions. It also tends to mean fresher product and stronger storytelling on the menu. Out-of-season produce comes with a higher environmental cost — so smarter sourcing here can make a big impact without changing your whole menu.

Power Play

Restaurants are energy-intensive by nature. Between cooking, refrigeration, lighting, and HVAC, it adds up fast. But that also means there’s real opportunity to cut costs and emissions at the same time. Energy‑efficient upgrades can help, such as:

• High‑efficiency ovens, refrigerators, and freezers
• LED lighting
• Routine cleaning and maintenance of equipment
• Participation in utility programs that reward reduced usage during peak hours

Green restaurants can cut energy use by up to half through smarter systems and better equipment.

The Bottom Line

Sustainability is no longer marginal, it’s a competitive advantage. It’s about working smarter, not harder. And when done right, going green delivers on all fronts: lower costs, better operations, and a brand guests feel good coming back to.

*Content provided in collaboration with Essity.