• Eight in 10 restaurant operators use energy-efficient lighting.
• Six in 10 use programmable thermostats.
• More than four in 10 use Energy Star-rated refrigerators, freezers and icemakers.
• Six in 10 restaurant kitchens use start-up/shut-down schedules to reduce the energy drain of kitchen equipment.

Reducing food waste is emerging as a key activity for operators

• About half of restaurant operators track the amount of food waste their restaurant generates.
• One in five donate edible leftovers to charities.
• More than one in ten compost food waste.

Many operators source packaging and supplies made from materials with a smaller environmental footprint

• Seventy-two percent of operators buy some packaging and supplies that contain recyclable material.
• Fifty-six percent buy supplies certified as compostable.

A restaurant’s sustainability effort can influence guests’ restaurant choices

• About half of consumers say that a restaurant’s efforts to recycle, donate food or reduce food waste can be factors in where they choose to dine.
• The best way to promote restaurant sustainability efforts is on the menu.