There are many causes of deforestation but one of the main ones is paper production.
A simple way to help the environment and reduce paper production is the use of digital menus in restaurants. Not only is it reducing deforestation causes but also helping with automating many manual tasks.
Part of transitioning to a digital world comes with us no longer needing to stick to traditional ways of handling certain aspects of life.
One of those areas comes in the form of paper restaurant menus.
They’re a thing of the past and can be one of the first options a restaurant can replace with a better option like digital menus .
Qr Code Menus help reduce environmental impacts, improve operational efficiency and save money.
Paper Menus are one of the Deforestation Causes
Paper is the primary component of a menu . The global consumption of paper is predicted to increase through 2030. Even with us transitioning so many of our paper related activities, it still seems to be on the rise.
Source: Statista America itself has taken the lead with 30% of the global consumption of paper with only 5% of the population. But, again, a big portion goes to the restaurant business and those that still use paper menus.
Our beloved trees that are natural barriers to dangerous elements against our ecosystem and our main source of fresh air are being diminished at a fast rate. Around 33%-40% of all industrial wood is used for paper-based products.
This can range from office paper to toilet paper but also includes commercialized paper such as restaurant menus.
It’s not just the paper itself but also the ink that’s used to present those menu items. Ink cartridges themselves may not directly be affecting deforestation causes efforts , but are adding to the piled waste . They can take several hundreds of years to decompose as they’re primarily made of plastic.
They also seep volatile organic compounds that can erode into the soil and destroy the vegetation and wildlife . To make matters worse, printer cartridges themselves are mostly recyclable as long as an attempt is made.
It is difficult to update menus weekly and seasonally .
The costs of maintaining a paper menu is high
Sure, you can place a sticker on some price changes , but that makes the menu look cheap and lowers the restaurant experience. Additionally , it is extremely unhygienic which more people are aware of , especially after the pandemic.
It can actually cost thousands of dollars to maintain paper menus . Not just for the initial designs but also when it comes to making changes and reprinting. Simply making an annual inflationary adjustment requires you to have to reprint as prices increase.
It is incredibly important to shift towards an online platform mentality .
Not only should you be looking to shift your operations digitally , but you probably have seen a huge rise in the online delivery business. In the US alone, the food delivery market was at $23.4 billion by the end of 2021, with an expected market size of $42.6 billion by 2027.
That means however you run your restaurant; you’ll still need that online presence. These delivery platforms are a good model and template to build out your own digital menu.
Your staff will thank you for the digital assistance
Restaurant with digital menus reduce manual tasks that are easily automated. That way the staff can focus on more important tasks like customer experience.
Your customers can scan a QR code at the table or at the entrance and browse through the user friendly menu. They can Order whenever they are ready and pay with many payment options available.
This way, your wait staff can become more efficient without having to walk back and forth while they place and pick up menus.
You can improve your digital menu by implementing upselling features . Showing clear pricing and combinations right in front of people; they’re more prone to make their ticket size larger.
Another thing a paper menu lacks is the power to close out the transaction completely. Yes, you’re able to make a digital menu so advanced that people can directly order from the menu itself and have the staff bring it out as soon as it’s ready.
This method also helps to improve upsells as it gives the consumer the power to order as often as they want regardless of the available waitstaff.
With Digital menus you’ll be able to grow faster
With happy customers and with more control over your restaurant experience. You’ll be able to have a more synchronized system between restaurant based orders and online orders.
This will help provide you with the necessary data points to make informed decisions. That means fewer incorrect orders and larger orders processed faster.
Where can I get a digital menu for restaurants?
Orderific provides free digital menus for restaurants. With Free features such as self order and payment, digital marketing tools , delivery and pickup options and a wide range of customization for your restaurant.
Weather you are a small or medium restaurant , hotel or cafe Orderific is built for all Food businesses types and is tailored to your needs.
CLICK HERE to get a free Digital Menu with order and pay options . You can try it and see how easily you can run your restaurant with automation.
FAQs
What is digital menu?
A digital menu is a digital representation of a restaurant’s menu items, typically accessible through a website or mobile app.
Why are digital menus good?
Digital menus are beneficial as they reduce paper waste, enable real-time updates, enhance customer engagement, and offer contactless ordering and payment options.
How digital menu can reduce deforestation?
Digital menus reduce deforestation by eliminating the need for paper menus, which are made from trees, thus reducing the demand for paper production.
What is the cause of deforestation?
The primary causes of deforestation include logging for timber and agriculture, expansion of urban areas, mining, and wildfires.
References:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1089078/demand-paper-globally-until-2030/
https://www.fao.org/ – (keep in mind this is the general site – difficult to find the direct source on their site but referenced on the image itself – feel free to keep or delete)
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