Darden Restaurants and Quiznos became the latest restaurant companies to embrace eco-friendly measures as sustainability continues to grow in popularity in the foodservice industry.
Meanwhile, the Culinary Institute of America said its on-campus restaurant, St. Andrew’s Cafe, in Hyde Park, N.Y., became a two-star-certified green restaurant by the Green Restaurant Association.
RELATED STORY: Green initiatives gaining traction in restaurants
Darden said Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, building standards will be incorporated at all new restaurants and some remodels at its chains, which include Red Lobster, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse. The initiative is part of Darden’s larger sustainability goal of limiting its impact on the environment while also enhancing operational efficiency, the company said Tuesday.
As part of the new program, Darden said it was planning eight "learning lab" restaurants designed to meet LEED standards. The first, a new Olive Garden, opened last month in Jonesboro, Ark., and incorporated such green design elements as recycled building materials and energy-efficient equipment in the kitchen and restrooms. One more Olive Garden and two Red Lobsters are scheduled to open in 2010. Plans in 2011 call for the building of another Olive Garden, two Red Lobster units and a LongHorn Steakhouse.
“Our goal with this initiative is to utilize each of the eight restaurants as a learning lab,” said Suk Singh, Darden’s senior vice president of development. “While we may not seek LEED certification for every restaurant we build or remodel, we can make a positive impact by learning from the eight restaurants where we are seeking LEED certification and applying best practices across our entire portfolio.”
Also Tuesday, sandwich chain Quiznos unveiled its new “Eat Toasty, Be Green" campaign featuring environmentally responsible packaging. The new packaging includes compostable, wax-coated paper cups; salad bowls made from 100-percent recycled paperboard and napkins made from 100-percent recycled materials. Quiznos said it was also introducing eco-friendly uniform items for employees, such as hats made from recycled soda bottles.
“While packaging changes are a small step in the grand scheme of going green, we know that using packaging that is made in part from recycled materials or that is compostable is a great way to start,” said Rick Schaden, Quiznos’ chief executive.
Schaden said the company hoped its efforts would “encourage other businesses to take steps to reduce their eco-footprints.”
St. Andrew's Cafe at the CIA achieved its green certification by adopting sustainable food sourcing and purchasing practices, reducing energy and water usage, and decreasing its waste disposal.
More eco-friendly steps are planned for the restaurant as part of a yearlong transition to becoming a sustainable restaurant. As part of its “green” makeover, the cafe will undergo a number of modifications to become more energy efficient. It also will be redesigned with low VOC paints and furniture created from recycled or sustainable resources.
CIA officials said the school has pursued eco-friendly practices for years, including the composting of food waste and recycling for more than two decades.
“The CIA is an advocate of implementing green policies throughout the entire college,” said Lou Jones, associate dean for culinary fundamentals and assessment. “We are pleased to be recognized for our efforts to date and promise to continue to work to be good stewards of our environment.”
Anumber of restaurant chains have invested in eco-friendly efforts, including McDonald's, Hardee's, Carl's Jr., Arby's, Denny's and Moe's Southwest Grill.
Contact Elissa Elan at [email protected].