woman dines outside during summer

Saving During the Summer Months: Restaurant Energy Consumption 101

woman dines outside during summer

As a restaurant owner, you are all too aware that patrons want to feel comfortable when dining at your establishment.

Think of yourself for a minute: going to a restaurant in the middle of the summer, where it’s 100 degrees outside, and 90 degrees inside. It’s likely you wouldn’t feel too comfortable in the establishment and would want to leave.

The same goes for your patrons. Understanding a few simple tips will allow you to create a comfortable, cool environment for patrons, without killing your summer budget on cooling costs.

Tune it Up

Tuning up your air and filtration system at least once a year is pivotal to saving. As a restaurant owner, make sure you perform an annual tune-up right before the summer season.

This will help ensure it’s operating efficiently and isn’t overworking itself in order to produce the optimal temperatures within the establishment.

Look for State and Local Efficiency Programs

SBA (Small Business Association) offers multiple loans and efficiency programs to small business owners to help make businesses become more efficient. Financial assistance can be used to upgrade equipment, perform maintenance, or otherwise help in reducing operational costs.

Look for these programs wherever your restaurant is located. You never know, there might be free money in the form of a loan sitting in the waits.

Perform an Energy Audit and Maintain the System

You need to know how much you’re spending (compare prior years) so you can audit how to reduce costs. Once you perform an energy audit, you can monitor temperatures, settings, and times of day/year, that your restaurant is busiest. This allows you to then determine how to maximize air conditioning in your establishment.

On the same note, make sure you’re maintaining the system. Change air filters regularly, get the coils cleaned, and perform regular system checks, to ensure efficient operation.

Energy Management Systems are a Must

Implementing an energy saving strategy and utilizing energy management systems, can greatly help improve efficiency and reduce operating costs. As a restaurant owner, find ways to cut costs. Shut off equipment when it’s not in use, check temperatures regularly, and monitor temperature settings, based on how busy/slow the restaurant is.

Constant monitoring will allow you to save while keeping your customers (and staff) happy.

Ready to start saving on your energy costs? Learn more about us and start cutting costs and maximizing profits for your restaurant today.

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