Frisch’s Big Boy Restaurants is committed to finding operational methods that are both cost-effective, and environmentally conscious. The company announced several new initiatives that will help to reduce restaurant operating costs while also benefitting the environment.
“Our operations staff is constantly looking for ways to make our restaurants run more efficiently and along with that we’ve made it a priority to update our equipment and materials to be more environmentally friendly,” says Jason Vaughn, Frisch’s CEO. “When you look at the benefits of what we’re doing with these new initiatives, you can see the value in being a good partner to the people we serve and the earth we live on.”
Frisch’s Big Boy Restaurants in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana will now save 7.8 million gallons of water per year thanks to the installation of two ConserveWell units per store. The ConserveWell units take the place of the traditional dipper wells that contained a canister with a counter-mounted faucet, which continuously trickled hot water to keep utensils clean. ConserveWells save water by eliminating the need for running water. Instead, the wells keep water heated above 140 degrees to prevent bacterial growth. A timer then alerts employees when it is time to change the water.
“The new ConserveWell units make sense on two levels: They save money on water and they will reduce maintenance costs because we won’t have to deal with clogged drains like we did with the old system,” adds Tim Reilley, director of facilities and construction at Frisch’s Big Boy Restaurants.
Along with the ConserveWells Frisch’s is transitioning away from the use of Styrofoam. The first step in that process is replacing more than 10 million Styrofoam sandwich boxes with new paper wraps. This change will eliminate the need for 215,000 pounds of Styrofoam every year.
Frisch’s is doing everything it can to recycle. Recently the company kept more than 26,000 pounds of its used carpet out of landfills by recycling. The Frisch’s commissary has also recently switched from cardboard pallets to reusable plastic pallets. Furthermore, Frisch’s is testing the use of hand-dryers in bathrooms in some markets with a complete rollout of the plan expected in the near future. The hand-dryers will save on paper costs while also being more environmentally friendly.
“I’m really proud of the steps we’re taking now and the steps we will take in the future to make Frisch’s a model for what being an environmentally conscious brand looks like,” says Vaughn.
