Reducing waste and using recyclable products help to protect our environment by reducing energy, landfill space and natural resources. With a tight economy and dwindling profit margins, restaurant owners are looking for ways to improve productivity and minimize waste. Below are some helpful tips using sustainable practices that can reduce your environmental footprint while increasing your bottom line.
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Front-of-the-House
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Keep condiments, cutlery and napkins behind the counter. Dispense a set amount with meals. |
As citizens of the world and stewards of the environment, we support manufacturers in their efforts to produce environmentally friendly products.
We hope “Think Green” will help you make conscious choices by exploring eco-friendly alternative products that reduce toxins, promote recycling and maintain a cleaner environment. Think Globally. Think Green. |
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Keep recycle bins at waitress and hostess stations. |
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Use health department-approved, refillable condiment dispensers for ketchup, mustard instead of portion controlled packets. |
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When packaging take out, don't double bag or double wrap unless it's necessary. Minimize or don't use food packaging for dining in. Establish a standard and train your employees on the amount they should use. This keeps more waste out of the landfills and more money in your pocket. |
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If a large majority of your trash consists of styrofoam, replace it with a paper equivalent. Styrofoam takes up four times more disposal volume than paper. |
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Use concentrate or a bulk form of juice, iced tea, hot chocolate, etc. and dispense it using a beverage dispenser. |
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Use unwrapped straws in a health department approved dispenser. Consider buying a smaller hole size. They're cheaper. |
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Back-of-the-House
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Prevent breakage by putting mats around dish stations to reduce dinner and glassware breakage. |
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Create incentives for employees to reduce breakage and loss of silver supplies. |
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Purchase recycled trash liners and reduce the number of trash bags by only emptying cans when they are completely full. |
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Check can liners for non-disposables such as serving trays, silverware, etc. that are accidentally throw away. |
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Ask employees to use non-disposable cups and glasses for their drinks. |
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Buy meats in bulk and cut to size. |
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Check the expiration dates on all food deliverers before you sign off. |
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Use food rotation labels to rotate perishable stocks to minimize waste due to spoilage. |
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Use reusable airtight containers to store food. They'll prevent dehydration and deter spoilage. |
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Wilted celery, lettuce, carrots and broccoli can be trimmed at the bottom of the stalk and immersed in warm water (100 degrees Fahrenheit) for fifteen to twenty minutes. This will rejuvenate them. |
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Don't over trim vegetables. Check your trash for signs of excessive trimming and retrain your staff as necessary. Almost two-thirds of a restaurant's garbage is made up of food. |
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Fix leaky faucets. |
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Keep a close check on the temperature in your refrigeration units to prevent spoilage. |
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Lower your water bill by choosing ice bins with good insulation. |
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Keep walk-in doors closed. |
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Turn out lights in areas that aren't being used. |
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Filter the oil in fryers every day. The buildup of carbon deposits on the bottom of the fryer creates insulation and forces the fryer to take longer to heat and more energy to maintain a temperature. |
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Throughout-the-House
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Use only recycled paper products when possible. Choose from multiple brands and styles of these recyclable paper products: toilet tissue; paper towels; napkins; paper cups; and trash bags. |
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Use multi-purpose cleaners that clean all types of surfaces. |
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Buy restaurant smallwares and supplies that are durable. Buying the least expensive product again and again, cost more. |
