糖心原创

Home⇛Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives⇛vol. 3 no. 7 (2025)

Going Green: Sustainable Operations of Fast-Food Chains in Dumaguete City

Ryan O. Tayco | Donaliza M. Caingcoy | Enrico A. Aurea, Jr. | Stephan Gelera | Eliza Tadiamon | Jessie Mae P. Tinonas

Discipline: business and management (non-specific)

 

Abstract:

Due to significant waste generation, fast-food chains in Dumaguete City faced growing pressure to adopt sustainable waste management practices. This research investigated current waste management techniques, including eco-friendly materials, recycling, composting, and waste reduction, to assess their effectiveness and suggest improvements. The findings aimed to provide insights for enhancing sustainability efforts and meeting the expectations of environmentally conscious consumers. The study used the descriptive method to gather information from customers and employees in fast-food chains in Dumaguete City. There were 50 customer respondents and 50 employee respondents. This balanced sample size allowed researchers to gather customer and employee insights. Questionnaires were the primary tool for data collection, and descriptive statistics such as weighted mean and standard deviation summarized the data. Correlation analysis examined the relationships between customers' and employees' perceptions of green practices and the challenges fast-food chains face. The results showed that while some green practices were implemented successfully in fast-food chains in Dumaguete City, there was room for improvement in customer awareness, broader green practices, and employee training. The research outlined key recommendations to enhance the environmental practices of fast-food chains in Dumaguete City. These included running customer education campaigns to promote green practices, regularly monitoring and improving existing initiatives based on feedback, providing training for employees to tackle challenges, supportive management, investing in cost-effective technologies, and fostering innovation, which can significantly contribute to more environmentally responsible fast-food chains in the city. Solving these problems with learning, manager support, and long-term investments can help fast-food chains in Dumaguete City improve their environmental efforts.



References:

  1. Ahmed, M., & Arif, M. (2021). Factors influencing employee retention in the fast food industry: A study on job satisfaction and career development. Journal of Human Resource Management, 9(3), 45–56.
  2. Bashir, S., Attiq, S., & Khan, M. A. (2021). Customer demographics and service challenges in the hospitality industry: Insights from urban settings. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 95, 102896.
  3. Chandal, N., & Gopal, R. (2019). Demographic influences on green consumer behavior: A review of empirical studies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 238, 117904.
  4. Davis, B., Lockwood, A., Alcott, P., & Pantelidis, I. S. (2019). Social factors influencing restaurant choices: A study of demographic impacts. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31(7), 2765–2783.
  5. Elmedulan, J. P., Pampolina, A. B., & Reyes, R. R. (2014). Waste management practices of fast food chains in Ozamiz City, Philippines. Journal of Environmental Science and Management, 17(2), 45–52.)
  6. Elsaied, M. (2018). Green practices and employee performance: Evidence from the hospitality sector. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 26(8), 1357–1373.
  7. Elsaied, M. (2018). Green Practices in Quick Service Restaurants: Dimensions and Obstacles. Finance and  Business Economies Review, 2(3), 659–672.
  8. Gleick, P. H., Haasz, D., Henges-Jeck, C., Srinivasan, V., Wolff, G., Cushing, K. K., & Mann, A. (2003). Waste not, want not: The potential for urban water conservation in California. Pacific Institute.
  9. Gunasegaran, M., Tan, W. H., & Abdul, M. (2022). Energy-efficient HVAC systems in fast-food chains: A case study in urban settings. Energy and Buildings, 256, 111723.
  10. Gunders, D. (2017). Consumer behavior and food waste in restaurants: Understanding the impact of portion sizes and menu design. Journal of Food Waste Studies, 12(3), 45–62.
  11. Hilario, J. S. (2014). Responsiveness of fast-food chain managers along Far Eastern University (FEU-Manila) towards the implementation of green practices in restaurants. Journal Issues ISSN, 2360, 8803.
  12. Jones, T., & Pimbert, M. (2024). Policy support for waste management programs: Strategies for sustainable urban waste reduction. Global Waste Management Outlook, 2024, 1–116. Retrieved from
  13. Johnson, M., & Smith, L. (2017). Gender and customer interactions in service industries: Impacts on employee challenges. Service Industries Journal, 37(9–10), 567–583.
  14. Lalnunthara, J., & Kumar, S. (2018). Lifestyle and convenience factors driving fast food consumption among young adults. Indian Journal of Marketing, 48(6), 45–58.
  15. Laspiñas, S.M., Tayco, R.(2025). Green practices and challenges in accommodation facilities. Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 3(4), 201-213. .
  16. Lou, X., Si, H., & Chen, J. (2021). Green practices in the fast food industry: A global perspective. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29(5), 789–806.
  17. Majabadi, A. A., Solhi, M., Montazeri, A., Shojaeizadeh, D., Nejat, S., & Farahani, F. K. (2016). Factors influencing fast-food consumption among adolescents in Tehran: A qualitative study. Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal, 18(3), e23890.
  18. Martin-Rios, C., Demen Meier, C., & Pasamar, S. (2022). Sustainable waste management solutions for the foodservice industry: A Delphi study. Waste Management & Research, 40(9), 1412-1423.
  19. National Restaurant Association. (2021). Managing food waste in restaurants: How small steps can have a big impact on reducing waste and protecting the planet. Retrieved from
  20. Nillos, J. R., Lozada, I. J. E., Garcia, L. L. L., Fajutar, C. R. G., Malilay, D. M., Nanagad, A. T. G., ... & Sanchez, C. P. J. (2022). Work performance of fast-food chain employees in Iloilo City amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Central Philippine University Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 2(1), 170-191.
  21. Papargyropoulou, E., Lozano, R., Steinberger, J., Wright, N., & Ujang, Z. (2016). The food waste hierarchy as a framework for the management of food surplus and food waste. Journal of Cleaner Production, 76, 106–115.
  22. Perrigot, R., Watson, A., & Dada, O. L. (2021). Sustainability in franchising: Initiatives and challenges in the fast food industry. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 61, 102582.
  23. Pires, A., Martinho, G., & Chang, N. B. (2011). Solid waste management in European countries: A review of systems analysis techniques. Journal of Environmental Management, 92(4), 1033–1050.
  24. Pulhin, J. C. (2022). Organizational citizenship behavior among resort employees in the CALABARZON region: Basis for proposed framework and strategies. Asia Pacific Journal of Management and Sustainable Development, 10(1), 60–74.
  25. Principato, L., Mattia, G., Di Leo, A., & Pratesi, C. A. (2021). The next step in sustainable dining: The restaurant food waste map for the management of food waste. Italian Journal of Marketing, 2021(3), 189–207.
  26. Rosenberg, R., Wagner, R., & Anquez, E. (2020). Consumers’ perception of sustainable packaging in the food industry: An online experiment. Journal of Sustainable Marketing, 17(41), 728.
  27. Si, H., Shi, J. G., Tang, D., Wu, G., & Lan, J. (2020). Understanding the adoption of green practices in fast food chains: A socio-technical perspective. Sustainability, 12(18), 7634.
  28. Smith, J., & Brown, T. (2019). Organizational dynamics of medium-sized fast food operations in urban settings. Journal of Business Research, 104, 123–130.
  29. Tayco, R. O., Tubog, M. V., Rizada, M. L. P., Antique, C. T., Zamora, G. Y., & Espinosa, L. B. (2023). The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry in Negros Oriental, Philippines. Journal of Business on Hospitality and Tourism, 9(2), 155-187.
  30. Yasemin, Y. (2016). Innovation and sustainability in new businesses: A study of fast food chains. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 4(2), 189–201.
  31. Zaman, A. U., & Lehmann, S. (2011). Challenges and opportunities in transforming a city into a “zero waste city” Challenges, 2(4), 73–93.

Tools


Copyright © 2026  糖心原创 Exclusively distributed by