Plant-Covered Walls and Cow Burps: How Some of the World’s Biggest QSR Franchisors are Tackling Climate Change

As more consumers pay attention to environmental issues, sustainability efforts have helped major franchise brands investing in green energy and other eco-friendly initiatives gain a competitive edge while saving the planet along the way. 

According to a 2019 survey from the Culinary Visions Panel reported by PMQ Pizza Magazine, 83% of consumers wish restaurants would use more environmental-friendly practices, including leaving "a light carbon footprint behind." 

A recent Nielsen study found that nearly 75% of millennials are willing to pay extra for sustainable offerings. “Brands that establish a reputation for environmental stewardship among today’s youngest consumers have an opportunity to not only grow market share but build loyalty among the power-spending millennials of tomorrow,” Grace Farraj, SVP of Public Development & Sustainability for Nielsen said in a statement.

McDonald’s Epic 100% Renewable Restaurant

This month, McDonald’s completed its first net zero energy restaurant, located near Disney’s All-Star Resorts in Orlando, Florida. The massive global flagship restaurant is designed to create enough renewable energy on-site to cover 100% of its energy needs annually.  

The mind-blowing, 8,000-square-foot restaurant is able to achieve net zero energy through 1,066 solar panels, low-flow plumbing fixtures, water-draining pavers, over 1,700 square feet of plant-covered walls and outdoor porch skylights featuring solar glass panels. Currently, the restaurant is only open for drive-thru and McDelivery due to COVID-19, but once the restaurant's dining room opens, customers will be able to learn about the restaurant’s renewable energy features and generate power to light up the Golden Arches via stationary bikes (clever!).

Even better, the flagship restaurant will serve as a testing ground for solutions that can reduce energy and water use across the brand’s network. McDonald’s will leverage its learnings to achieve its global sustainability targets, which include a “36% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.” 

According to the International Living Future Institute, this revolutionary location makes McDonald's the first restaurant in the world to pursue Zero Energy Certification. Net zero energy projects can also help franchisors and franchisees save money as more cities and states offer subsidies or rebates for buildings powered by solar energy. 

This new McDonald’s restaurant has significant potential to set a new precedent for the entire foodservice industry. As Fast Company points out, the Orlando restaurant will also include cooking equipment tests, such as energy-efficient coolers, freezers and burger cookers that go on standby when there are fewer customers. Restaurant brands may be more willing to implement this kind of eco-friendly equipment if it generates a quicker return on investment. Since restaurants’ biggest energy use comes from cooking, this could be a major advancement.

While the flagship restaurant may be unprecedented, this kind of green initiative isn’t quite new for McDonald's. In March 2018, McDonald’s claimed to become the first restaurant company in the world to set a science-based target to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. In late 2019, McDonald’s invested in wind and solar energy to expand the amount of renewable energy available in the U.S. According to the company, these investments mean it will be able to add more renewable energy to the power supply than any other U.S. restaurant company to date and will equal enough electricity to power over 2,5000 McDonald's restaurants. 

Burger King Enlists the Help of Scientists and … the Yodel Kid?

Many other franchisors in the QSR segment are following this sustainability-focused trend. Burger King just released an educational video that uses a quirky song (sung by the WalMart yodeling kid) to illustrate the negative environmental impact of the livestock industry, specifically cow burps, farts and "splatters." 

Burger King partnered with U.S. scientists to develop a new diet for beef livestock used in Whoppers, adding a small amount of lemongrass to their feed. Early studies indicate the change can reduce daily methane emissions 33%. The brand will sell Whoppers using the more climate-conscious meat at select locations in Miami, New York City, Austin, Portland and Los Angeles. 

Last year, the brand rolled out the plant-based Impossible Whopper nationwide in the U.S., which resulted in an 18% increase in foot traffic at store locations. 

The Future of Sustainability

Yum Brands, one of the largest franchisors in the U.S., has also begun the necessary work to join the Science-Based Targets Initiative. KFC is implementing solar energy for some of its store locations across the globe, and Wendy's is working on new ways to reduce its energy consumption by using more efficient equipment. 

The COVID-19 pandemic may have heightened this environmental focus even more. New research from FCMG Gurus finds that, in May, 60% of global consumers stated they were more concerned about the environment due to the coronavirus.

With many experts predicting climate change could become irreversible very, very soon, these kinds of initiatives may be a bit overdue. Still, if the pandemic results in a newfound focus on long-term security and sustainability from some of the world’s biggest companies, then at least something positive may come from these difficult times.