The impact of eco-friendly practices on green image and customer attitudes: An investigation in a cafe setting

Do restaurant green practices, such as using recyclable take-out containers, really affect customers' perceptions of the restaurants' green image and their attitudes toward the restaurant? If so, does it matter whether these customers are ecologically conscious or not? The present study attempted to examine the relationships among three constructs customers' perceived green practices, perceived green image of a restaurant brand, and attitudes toward a restaurant brand, in a study of Starbucks' customers and identifies the key green practices that influence customers' perceptions of a restaurant's green image. First, the results suggest that the perception of green practices affects customers' perceived green image of a restaurant which in turn influences customers' attitudes toward a restaurant. Second, the study identifies recyclable take-out containers, recycling waste, and energy-efficient lighting as the key green practices that contribute to the formation of customers' perceptions of a restaurant's green image, but only across ecologically conscious customers. Finally, the paper includes a theoretical model that helps explain customers' formation of a green image and attitudes toward a restaurant company and offers practical guidelines for effective green marketing management in restaurant operations. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.