What does this research mean for the field?

Research on restaurant sustainability has expanded significantly since 2015, predominantly led by the Global North, with established themes in environmental management and food waste, and an emerging focus on ESG, circular economy, and digital sustainability technologies. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.SYNTHESIS. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To map publication trends, intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and future directions within restaurant sustainability literature spanning over two decades.

September 3, 2026Cogent Social SciencesOpen Access

Mapping two decades of sustainability research in restaurants: a bibliometric review of intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and emerging research directions

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To map publication trends, intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and future directions within restaurant sustainability literature spanning over two decades.
Evaluated 509 Scopus-indexed publications published from 2001 to 2024 following PRISMA guidelines.
Mapped citation patterns, author networks, and thematic clusters using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer software tools.
Academic output accelerated after 2015, led predominantly by authors in the United States, China, and the United Kingdom, with minimal representation from the Global South.
Core thematic streams clustered around environmental sustainability, food waste reduction, operational management, and consumer dining behavior.
Recent thematic shifts prioritize circular economy frameworks, digital technologies, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting, while consumer trust remains underexplored.

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Implication

Bibliometric review reveals accelerating restaurant sustainability research dominated by food waste and management, highlighting emerging opportunities in circular economy models.

Cite This Study

M et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a993592636c6408cfa7de4f https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2026.2725274

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Implication

Bibliometric review reveals accelerating restaurant sustainability research dominated by food waste and management, highlighting emerging opportunities in circular economy models.

Mapping two decades of sustainability research in restaurants: a bibliometric review of intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and emerging research directions

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

Mapping two decades of sustainability research in restaurants: a bibliometric review of intellectual structure, thematic evolution, and emerging research directions

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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