It's no doubt that in an eco-conscious era, "sustainable" and "green" are buzzwords that sell. With a restaurant, there are no strict definitions. Perhaps the menu items are sourced from local farms that don't use industrial means, maybe the paper goods are recycled or the lighting is solar... are the cleaning products non-toxic?
What has been reported is that 61% of diners are willing to pay more for green products and menu items despite the tough economy. These diners were also willing to answer a survey! Although diners say they are willing to eat green, how about getting the burger they want without the out of season adds.
The point is, there's a great deal of confusion and blurring of the lines of what is green and sustainable. No doubt, the terms sell; and when integrated into branding, it can make quite an impact. But what we need are standards!
From personal experience, we see recyclers claiming to sell for biodiesel, we also see the term "green" in company logos that are far from environmentally conscious. This industry seems to attract a great number of vendors with poor customer service and shoddy business practices. Standards would help, not just for diners, but for the restaurant owners that really do want to do the right thing-and skimming grease traps and illegally dumping waste water is definitely not the right thing!! So what can you do? Do what you would like to see your diners do, ask questions and remember the old adage, "if your grease trap bid is too good to be true"....you're probably being skimmed!!
