• NRA
    NRA We Serve America's Restaurants Representing nearly 500,000 restaurant businesses, we advocate for restaurant and foodservice industry interests and provide tools and systems that help members of all sizes achieve success.
  • NRAEF
    NRAEF Building & Retaining Talent The NRAEF is focused on developing a stronger workforce and building the next generation of industry leaders through education, scholarships and community engagement.
  • NRA Show
    NRA Show May 18-21, 2013 As the international foodservice marketplace, the NRA Show provides unparalleled opportunities for buyers and sellers to come together, conduct business and learn from each other.
  • ServSafe
    ServSafe Minimize Risk. Maximize Protection. For over 40 years, ServSafe® training programs have delivered the knowledge, leadership and protection that have earned the trust and confidence of business leaders everywhere.

A twist on water service: Offer before pouring

A simple question like, “Would you like a glass of water?” can go a long way toward reducing water use at your restaurant. Consider offering water on request rather than automatically serving it to every guest.

In addition to saving water and costs, secondary benefits can include:

  • Fewer glasses to wash and sanitize
  • Less ice to make
  • Improved service efficiency

If one in four restaurant guests in the United States declined a glass of tap water, the foodservice industry as a whole would save more than 25 million gallons of water annually, estimates the American Water Works Association.

To put that in perspective: If restaurateurs put all the water they saved into one-gallon milk jugs, and placed one jug next to the other without any gaps, the milk-jug line would almost span the distance from Washington, DC to Los Angeles.

That’s A LOT of water!

Video: Offer water to guests

More Resources

  • Walking the Talk: Reports from the field: Restaurateurs and suppliers talk sustainability.
  • Ask the Expert: We connect you with industry experts for answers to your questions.
  • Watch: Conversations with sustainability innovators.