Fast-Food Restaurants That Are the Real Green Deal

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Oct 20th 2010 @ 1:00PM

LEED certificate on building Photo: eng1ne, Flickr

Despite all the hullaballoo over carbon footprints and "green" building design, The DailyGreen recently pointed out that there are only 38 restaurants in the U.S. that have so far received LEED certification (an internationally recognized certification that stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Thirty-eight in the whole country? That's a pretty paltry amount, given that, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are more than a half-million eating and drinking places in the country. Even more surprising is that 40 percent of those LEED-certified establishments are chain restaurants. Who made the list? Sandwich chain Subway currently has one LEED-certified restaurant in Chapel Hill, N.C; and burger-meister Arby's has a green building in Magnolia, Texas.

As The DailyGreen notes, a few buildings might not balance out thousands of other wasteful neon-shimmering buildings, plentiful unhealthy food or wasteful packaging. But it's a start. Head over to The DailyGreen for the rest of the list and a photo gallery of these earth-friendly leaders.

Filed Under: Fast Food, Eco-Friendly, Chain Stores / Restaurants
Tags: arbys, eco-friendly, Green living, restaurants, subway