How to Take the Heat Off Restaurant Costs

Imagine your wait staff getting your restaurant ready for the day when the heat index outside exceeds 100 degrees. The temperature is so oppressive that employees immediately crank up all the air conditioning units. An hour later, when sweltering guests crowd in, your team is too distracted to turn some units down. High electric bills and wasted energy are the last things on their minds. They’re thinking instead about diners’ comfort.

What are the repercussions of that same scenario for a national restaurant brand with hundreds of locations enduring a heat wave simultaneously? During one recent June day, almost 120 million people across multiple states were subject to heat advisories. The cost of powering up restaurants’ air conditioning enterprise-wide—on top of inflation, the high price of staples like meat, and staff salaries—can dilute their financial strength at a time of significant growth. According to the National Restaurant Association, operators’ 2024 sales…