From the Editor: Back to Basics

Dan Simons, co-owner of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group, is acutely aware that for many operators, becoming more sustainable also must include cost savings. As the restaurant industry faces one test after another, for certain operators, investing in, say, a biodigester is far from practical. Simons recommends a back-to-basics approach, such as reducing food waste, utility consumption and single-use plastics.

Founding Farmers opened its first restaurant in 2008 and has grown to eight locations, a distillery, and a catering and events division. Many of the restaurants are LEED and Green Restaurant Association certified.

Founding Farmers relies on a couple biodigesters to divert food waste from landfills but for operators who want to start small, Simons says, look upstream. “Why is there food waste?” he says. “Study what’s coming back from the guest. If the guest buys the food and they don’t finish it, either we gave them too much or we didn’t cook it right or they weren’t happy with it.” If an operator puts less food on plates, without affecting the guest experience, they’ll save money by purchasing less food and minimizing prep labor. And they’ll reduce waste.

To minimize utility use, check low-flow valves on faucets. “They come off or go missing,” he says. And while Founding Farmers invests in energy-efficient equipment, Simons says remembering to simply turn off the gas stove provides savings. The group also has found success using smart systems for HVAC and lighting.

When studying a single-use plastic, instead of replacing the item with something that’s not plastic, consider if it’s needed at all. Founding Farmers once studied coffee stirrers. “When I looked at what we spent on them, and how they’re hard to manage in a waste stream … I thought, we’re not going to replace them with paper, we’re just going to eliminate them,” Simons says. “There, we found thousands of dollars in savings.”

For operators looking to take a step toward sustainability, Simons says, define your why, and then start researching. FER can help. Operating efficiently is often at the heart of our stories. In our new issue, see Page 26 for how Dine Brands saved millions of gallons of water. Or search the FER archives.

ALLISON REZENDES
Editor-in-Chief
arezendes@fermag.com

3 THINGS

Health in the workplace also is a topic near and dear to Dan Simons of Founding Farmers Restaurant Group. (He leads more than a thousand employees.) Three ideas he offers restaurant leaders include the following:

Be honest

Normalize conversations about mental health. If you feel rundown or burned-out, say so. Your employees know it anyway. “If you start by leading yourself, acknowledging what you need and working on yourself, that is the role modeling,” Simons says.

Host flu clinics

It might not be in your scope of work, but when you’re chatting with those who could make it happen, Simons says he’s found an ROI. “When I spend X amount on a flu clinic for my staff, I prevent thousands of hours of sick employees replaced by someone in overtime,” he says.

Offer free mental health services

Here, Simons sees an ROI as well. The investment lowers turnover rates and creates staff loyalty. “Look at what that does on the P&L,” Simons says.