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There are many reasons a restaurant would want to incorporate more sustainable eco-friendly business practices to help with the problem of deforestation.
Switching from a simple paper menu to a digital menu not only makes great business sense but also helps the environment tremendously .
Going green ( and digital ) also means something to the consumer . Particularly to younger generations such as millennials and gen z.
One of the simplest ways that restaurants can cut back on their paper use is through a digital menu.
Digital menus reduce one’s carbon footprint and make it clear to the customer that you care about responsible business practices.
In this article, we’ll go through the reasons why a digital menu will be a RE-LEAF (see what we did there?) in the fight to end deforestation . And how digital menus serve a restaurant overall.
Facts And Figures of deforestation
Paper products are the 3rd leader in air, water, and land pollution. The World Counts reports that paper and paper products are responsible for over ¼ of the total waste at landfills.
They also state that 420,000,000 tons of paper and cardboard products will be made this year alone , and that the demand is only rising.
By 2030 our paper needs could double . That means our environment, mainly our forests, will struggle to keep up with demand.
It’s only through responsible citizens, businesses, and corporations can we see that these numbers drop.
How Digital Menus Help The Environment
Less Paper Use:
Paper menus are one of the most wasteful aspects of a restaurant . It is because many times they are printed every day to include new specials.
Even if your restaurant only prints menus as needed, or when a misspelling or mistake occurs . That’s still hundreds if not thousands of pounds of paper.
Going digital allows you to update your menu as often as you like . Since nearly every person in America has a smartphone, is no inconvenience to the consumer.
Less Food Waste:
Because a digital menu can be shifted and changed daily, it allows restaurants to have less food waste .One may not think there is a correlation between deforestation and food waste . However many believe it’s all connected.
Dr. Lalisa Duguma is someone who works on creating integrated climate actions, they state that food waste and tropical deforestation are likely linked .
She says “To fight tropical deforestation, all entities, regions, sectors, and players must cooperate together.”
Restaurants that have less food waste also see increased savings and give chefs the flexibility to alter their recipes. Giving up the traditional printing methods and opting for a digital menu in restaurants just makes sense.
Reduces Ink Use:
Many are unaware of the harmful effects that ink and toner have on the soil and water. 60-80% of all toner cartridges are put in the trash and end up in landfills . While 1 million ink cartridges go into landfills each year.
Because these items take a thousand years to decompose, they sit in the ground soil and leak into the water. Cartridges have volatile organic compounds and heavy metals both of which have carcinogenicity and can harm the forests, and people who live nearby.
Using a digital menu in restaurants reduces these effects and lessens your restaurant’s negative environmental impact.
Other Ways Digital Menus Help Restaurants Thrive:
Cost Savings:
Printing traditional paper menus can be costly for restaurants .In a moment when most establishments are just trying to find their footing, any savings helps.
As printing costs will continue to rise each year, digital menus save money in the long run, particularly when human error occurs (ie. misspelling an item, forgetting to change an ingredient, etc). Eco-friendly digital menus are the smarter choice not just for the earth but for the business itself.
Time Saver:
When you have menu changes, updates, a digital menu allows you to show those changes to customers instantly. Patrons will know what’s available . In addition Restaurant workers and owners won’t have to waste time waiting for new menus to be printed.
More Visually Attractive:
Digital menus allow for flexible customizable design so that restaurants can create a look that will match their establishment’s aesthetic. Although printed menus can also be appealing, after a single dinner service it’s likely they will look messy, stained, torn, or damaged. Then, restaurants have to choose between constantly reprinting, or having less attractive menus. A Digital menu gives a professional clean look to your business and they last forever.
Orderific is a platform that helps restaurants grow in the digital world while being environmental friendly at the same time .
Orderific has created an innovative mobile menu that any restaurant can use . It has ordering , payment solutions and digital marketing tools . Reach out today and discover what a re-leaf it is to get beautiful professional digital menus and stop contributing to deforestation.