Customers Accept and Seek Out Green Practices

For some people, because taking steps to be “green” at home has become second nature they expect restaurants to follow suit. Based on the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) 2009 Restaurant Industry Forecast, 62 percent of consumers said they would choose a restaurant based on its environmental friendliness, and 44 percent would choose a restaurant based on an operation’s energy and water conservation practices.  The bottom line is that conscientious consumers want to patronize businesses that are as environmentally responsible as they are.  Restaurateurs are responding in kind to their demand.

Savvy Consumers Flock to Organic Options

A number of organic fast casual concepts are springing up across the nation.  One is Elevation Burger, located in Arlington, Virginia.  The concept offers 100 percent organic, grass-fed, free-range beef burgers.  Founder Hans Hess told Chain Leader Magazine in December 2008, “People who spend a buck more on a hamburger meal and have the understanding or education to understand what the product is—they get the value proposition.”

Another is O’Naturals, which began in Falmouth, Maine, and has expanded to locations in Florida, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Kansas, and targets the health-conscious consumer with organic salads, and chicken and buffalo items that are fresh, natural and free-range.

According to a survey conducted by Zagat Survey in the Washington DC/Baltimore area, 70 percent of respondents consider it important to eat locally grown food; 62 percent would pay more for sustainably raised food. “Those customers flock to us,” says Hess.

Go To the Source

Successful companies realize that it pays off to know their customers. Starbucks rolled out MyStarbucksIdea.com, a blog and social networking site that provides customers access to its corporate administration. Visitors provide feedback, add comments and vote on ideas provided by Starbucks management and other customers.  A corporate blog based on this model is a good way to build consumer relationships.

Consumers also make their voices heard through informal postings to industry associations and surveys.  Internet searches for industry information and competitive activity can yield valuable information about consumer demand. 

But there are other, less technical ways to get to know your customers like spending time at the order counter; checking in during the meal; conducting informal surveys to identify their priorities; and encouraging feedback with a postcard about questions core to your eco-friendly vision.

The movement towards greener lifestyles is a value statement.  In a public statement on the NRA Web site, President and CEO Dawn Sweeny says consumers are willing to pay more for brands, products and services that align with their core values and lifestyle choices.  “Consumers are looking for value, variety, healthier options, and convenience,” says Sweeny. “They know that restaurants will provide them the experiences and choices they are seeking.”