Greener Plates, Stronger Futures: Sustainability in Vienna’s Restaurant Scene

Although sustainability has become a critical concern for the global hospitality industry, limited research has focused on how restaurants in Vienna specifically adopt and maintain sustainable practices in response to increasing consumer demand, regulatory pressures, and broader societal concern over climate change.

Addressing this gap, Sofiia Yesaulova completed her MBA thesis at Webster Vienna under the supervision of Pernille Eskerod, PhD This research examined the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainability within the Viennese dining sector, providing a comparative analysis of restaurants that have integrated sustainable operations into their daily practices.

The study investigated both the barriers to sustainable transformation — such as high implementation costs, supply chain limitations, and evolving consumer expectations — and the incentives that drive restaurants toward environmentally responsible models. By situating the analysis in the Viennese urban context, the research extends understanding of ethical restaurant management and contributes to broader debates on sustainable business practices in service industries.

The findings not only underscore the challenges of embedding sustainability into restaurant operations but also highlight opportunities for innovation, competitive advantage and long-term viability.

The study further offers practical recommendations for managers, owners, policymakers, and consumers, emphasizing sustainability as an increasingly indispensable element of restaurant strategy in light of global environmental pressures and shifting consumer preferences.