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

As part of Webster Vienna Private University’s commitment to applied, city-relevant research, MBA graduate Sofiia Yesaulova, supervised by Pernille Eskerod, Ph.D., has completed an empirical thesis examining how restaurants in Vienna operationalize sustainability across environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and what slows them down.

Set against the city’s 2040 climate-neutrality goal and 50% food-waste reduction target by 2030, the study situates firm-level practices within Vienna’s wider policy architecture and market signals. These include the Austrian Ecolabel for Tourism & Gastronomy (a national certification active since 1996) and a growing sustainable gastronomy scene recognized by MichelinGreen Stars (e.g., TIAN), which together create incentives, but not guarantees, for adoption.

Study focus and methods

The thesis delivers a comparative analysis of Viennese restaurants that have integrated sustainable operations versus those at earlier stages. It assesses decision-making and implementation across: (a) energy, waste, and sourcing; (b) cost structures and productivity; and (c) workforce, stakeholder, and community effects.

Sector-wide drivers, regulatory pressure, consumer demand, certification schemes, and reputational benefits are balanced against frictions such as high upfront costs, supply-chain constraints, and uncertainty about ROI, patterns also reported in Austria-focused hospitality literature.

What the research adds

• From plate policy: Restaurants that pair policy signals (e.g., city waste targets, national ecolabel criteria) with operational levers (menu engineering, supplier vetting, waste tracking) move faster from pledges to measurable outcomes.
• Economics of “green”: Cost remains the main barrier, but efficiency gains (energy, waste, logistics) can offset investments over time, consistent with Austrian sector reviews.
• Menus matter: Shifts toward plant-forward options correlate with lower footprints, yet consumer uptake is uneven, highlighting the need for segment-specific nudges and framing (taste, value, familiarity).
• Signaling works (mostly): Certification and awards (e.g., Austrian Ecolabel, MICHELIN Green Star) help differentiate offers and codify practices, but, by themselves, do not close capability gaps in smaller venues.

Practical takeaways for Vienna’s dining sector

• Waste as a strategy:Align kitchen operations with the city’s food-waste targets via standardized measurement, supplier contracts that enable flexible ordering, and guest-facing portion/leftover options.
• Credibility through criteria:Use the Austrian Ecolabel rubric to structure action plans (energy, water, cleaning, sourcing, staff wellbeing), then communicate progress to diners and employees.
• Menu design for adoption:Pilot plant-based dishes using taste-first framing and price anchoring to overcome low trial rates; track conversions over time.
• Leverage city initiatives:Connect with Vienna’s Food Action Plan and urban food-tech ecosystem to access tools, peers, and funding pathways for kitchen innovation.

Why this matters now

Vienna’s hospitality system is an influential test bed: municipal climate commitments, robust waste policy, and a high-end dining scene make it ideal for evidence-based models that can scale. Findings from Yesaulova’s thesis complement analyses of Austria’s food-service transition and market-governance dynamics in urban food systems, adding a firm-level, practice-oriented lens for researchers and policymakers.

“Sustainability becomes durable when restaurants connect policy signals with kitchen-level capabilities, procurement, prep, and menu design, so that the economics work day-to-day,” said Eskerod. “This study shows where those connections are strongest, and where targeted support can accelerate progress.”

Researchers working on sustainable operations, food systems governance, menu psychology, or certification impacts are invited to connect for comparative studies, joint publications, or data sharing (Vienna cases available; cross-city designs welcome). For collaboration inquiries, please contact Webster Vienna’s research office or the supervising faculty member.

Background sources and sector context: Smart City Vienna climate/waste targets; Vienna Climate Guide; Austrian Ecolabel (tourism & gastronomy) framework; Michelin Green Star listings for Vienna; Austria food-service transition literature; plant-based adoption studies; Vienna Food Action Plan; Vienna’s urban food-tech and waste-reduction ecosystem.