COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Restaurants in the United States could benefit from a desire by American consumers to dine at environmentally friendly establishments, a study says.
Researchers at Ohio State University found 8-of-10 diners in the Columbus, Ohio, area would be willing to pay more to dine at "green" restaurants, a university release said Tuesday.
The only problem, one researcher says, is very few restaurants are marketing themselves as "green" or environmentally friendly.
"It is clear that green practices could be beneficial for restaurants. Customers want their restaurants to be environmentally friendly and say they're willing to pay more for it," Jay Kandampully, professor of consumer sciences, says.
"Restaurants that engage in green practices should market themselves that way, using that fact as a competitive edge."
Researchers surveyed 455 customers of five independent casual dining restaurants in Columbus, asking a variety of questions about their perceptions of green restaurants.
The results showed restaurant customers are intrigued by the possibility of environmentally friendly restaurants.
"We thought there would be some interest in green restaurants, but this showed an overwhelming interest in the concept and a willingness to pay for it," study co-author Franziska Schubert says.
About 65 percent of those surveyed said they would be willing to pay up to 10 percent more to dine at green restaurants.
Participants in the survey were most interested in restaurants that took actions to protect the environment, such as reducing energy usage and waste and using biodegradable or recycled products.
"The problem is that most of these actions are not visible to diners," Schubert says. "The customers don't see what is happening in the kitchen and that is one reason why people are unsure if a particular restaurant is green."
