US consumer attitudes towards “green” restaurants

This study explores what consumers across the USA perceive as “green” restaurants, how they search for them, and if they are willing to pay more for the “green” restaurant experience. A review of the data revealed that almost 90% of the participants have eaten in a “green” restaurant, but many had a difficult time defining the term. Word of mouth was prevalent as to how consumers searched for “green” restaurants. As in previous studies, our findings showed that more than half of consumers were willing to pay more for the “green” restaurant experience. The participants graded their decision to dine at a “green” restaurant in the following order of importance: fresh ingredients, healthy aspects, good value, easy access, and good for the environment.