As a restaurant owner, you are all too aware that patrons want to feel comfortable when dining at your establishment.Think of yourself for a minute: going to a restaurant in the middle of the summer, where it’s 100 degrees outside, and 90 degrees inside. It’s likely you wouldn’t feel too comfortable in the establishment and would want to leave.The same goes for your patrons. Understanding a few simple tips will allow you to create a comfortable, cool environment for patrons, without killing your

Unnecessary hot water usage is akin to watching cash go down the drain. Just thinking of wasted water is brutal to us as restaurants already use a lot of H₂O.In fact, the EPA states that US restaurants use over 50 billion gallons of water annually. While using a good deal of hot water is inherent to the restaurant business, you can minimize the impact.Here are 10 tricks to lower your restaurant’s hot water bill:#1 Routine water heater thermostat checkups Check-ups help ensure maximum efficiency.

Energy Management in Restaurants We know you have thoughts about how to reduce your restaurant’s or franchise’s energy costs…and that you keep making efforts to do it. We also know you have multiple other demands on your time, including your primary mission of providing customers with the best food, the best service, and the best price.But sooner or later, most owner-operators or managers start to consider a serious, concerted campaign to reduce energy costs. Probably because they know, from

The most important people at your restaurant are the guests. We can agree that they keep the doors open and the grills fired up! So creating great experiences for guests is an important aspect of the restaurant business.In fact, the biggest reason people stop visiting a restaurant is due to poor service. Therefore, you shouldn’t underestimate the power of customer service!So here are a few ways you can create and cultivate a great experience for your patrons that keeps them coming back for more.

Restaurants Using An Energy Management System Being a restaurant owner or manager comes with a lot of responsibility. Some common ones include ensuring the kitchen is clean and up to code, that the menu items are exceptional, and everyone’s performing well in their job roles.Also, ensuring the restaurant is profitable is incredibly important. So making sure all costs are within reason is vital. Yet, one area many restaurants often overlook is energy consumption.The Good: Controlling Costs with

Whether you’re a restaurant owner or franchise manager, you may feel frustrated at times by how difficult it is to up your profit margin without cutting corners or sacrificing quality. We understand that frustration and are here with good news: you shouldn’t have to prioritize necessities, and you definitely shouldn’t compromise when it comes to what you offer your customers.Those tempting hacks to increase overhead will, simply put, save you pennies in the present and lose your consumer base in

Restaurants are places full of people, life, and business. All of those things require significant energy, but with an energy-saving strategy and an understanding of just how much energy a restaurant needs, that much energy doesn’t have to break the bank.In fact, ENERGY STAR reports restaurants typically use about 2.5 times more energy per square foot than other commercial buildings.Energy is a huge influence on running up restaurant costs, and something every restaurant owner must address. With

Energy Conservation Tips for Restaurant Owners The cost of energy is rising every other day! Thus, emphasis on embracing conservation measures that will preserve natural resources and save cost is increasing as well. As a restaurant operator, energy conservation is likely on your list of priorities. Failure to control the use of power within your restaurant can have far-reaching effects on your daily operations, and that can result in severe losses. So gaining an understanding of your obligations

Farmer’s markets became a popular trend in the 1990’s when they saw a revival across the country. Smithsonian Magazine reported more than 2,600 Farmer’s Markets in 1999 (50 percent more than five years prior, at the time), resulting in Americans spending $1.1 billion annually.Today, The USDA reports nearly 9,000 farmer’s markets across the U.S., but despite this growth in popularity, the USDA also shared that’s nearly the same amount as back in 1999 of annual sales at $1 billion.This can be

Restaurants have a voracious appetite for energy. According to the 2015 ENERGY STAR Guide for Cafes, Restaurants, and Institutional Kitchens, the energy load used by restaurants per square foot ranges from 5 to 10 times more than other commercial businesses. Since over half of the energy consumption comes from food preparation (35%) and HVAC (28%), systems which rely heavily on natural gas, finding ways to reduce your restaurant’s gas bill in 2019 may be a top priority for your business. While

Reduce Energy Consumption The cost of energy is rising, and we are continually facing dwindling natural resources and the ill effects of harmful environmental practices. Saving energy isn’t as difficult as you think – simple alterations in your restaurant can save significant energy, and you’ll reap these savings in your profit margins.Below, we highlight simple steps you can take to improve energy consumption. This will also attract energy-conscious patrons to your establishment.Read on for

Cold weather is here! While firing up the equipment in the kitchen makes it feel cozy and warm, there are several locations in the building where your pipes are at risk of freezing. Part of the energy saving plan for your restaurant includes water maintenance during winter. Frozen Pipes Cost Money The cost of repairing burst pipes can be astronomical. Without running water, your local health department has no choice but to insist you lock your doors and cease operations. Why Do Pipes Burst?

Have you been on the fence about hiring an energy consultant for your restaurant? An energy consultant can offer a number of key advantages.In fact, if you’re still debating, consider these key reasons to bring in an energy consultant as soon as possible. A Restaurant Energy Consultant Can Help You Save MoneyEnergy consumption is one of the biggest expenses you’ll deal with in your restaurant. If you’re looking for ways to cut expenses, starting with a restaurant energy consultant is a great

Restaurant Water WasteWater is necessary for virtually every phase of a restaurant’s operations. While there are huge disparities according to size, the average sit-down restaurant uses around 3,000-7,000 gallons of water daily. Quick-service restaurants (fast-foods) use about a third of this.The EPA estimates that 15 percent of all commercial and industrial water supplied is used by restaurants.Drought and climatic changes can reduce water available for use. Therefore, smart restaurant owners

Restaurant Energy Consumption It may come as no surprise, but efficient appliances save money and money saved is money made.For full-service restaurants, energy costs are of major concern. Using commercial appliances to prepare food is not nearly as low cost as popping two slices of bread in a household toaster.In fact, according to the United States EPA, “Most commercial kitchen appliances are energy intensive…a typical deep fat fryer uses more than 18,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy per

Benefits of Restaurant Energy Management System Energy is a necessity for the operation of any restaurant or chain of restaurants. The challenge is that some restaurant operators are struggling to minimize their energy costs, which eats into the profits of their businesses.Ultimately, failure to invest in energy control systems can drive the energy cost of your restaurant through the roof, and that becomes a setback because it hinders profitability.An energy management system (EMS) can help you

It is known across the country that prices are rising at the pump. Cost of gasoline is on the rise, which means that people will be driving less. The national average price of a gallon of gas currently sits at $2.259 and has varied greatly throughout the year.A number of political and economic factors are driving the rising costs of gasoline, and it is difficult to say if or when costs will fall again. Restaurants cannot control this potential issue but must find creative solutions to offset the

Converting your current lighting to LED lighting is the easiest way for you to move your restaurant towards higher electrical efficiency. Covered in a previous article, we discussed why LED lighting is a wise choice. Requiring no substantial equipment conversions or otherwise drastic changes, this should be the first step taken to reduce your energy bill. But, how should you go about making this a reality?The answer: quite simply.Plug and PlayThe idea of converting your current lighting may seem

According to the EPA, out of all water consumed commercially, restaurants use about 15% in the U.S. due to the kitchen and dishwashing needs, domestic and restroom usage, landscaping, and other needs.Something as important as hot water in a restaurant almost doesn’t warrant too much thought, it’s just expected to be there. However, it’s when there is no hot water does it draw attention.How to avoid running out of hot waterUnderstand your needs. It’s important to know how much water you need so

We can agree that energy consumption in your restaurant is unavoidable. Our reliance on technology is constant. In fact, whether it’s AC in the summer or heat in the winter, there’s always a demand for constant power.But there’s another constant factor that’s easily overlooked—traditional light bulbs.Many restaurants looking to improve their energy efficiency have moved away from traditional light sources and turned to LED technology. But what exactly are LEDs and how are they beneficial to the