ENERGY STAR® Guide for Restaurants

Putting Energy into Profit
 

ENERGY STAR®, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

program, helps us all save money and protect our environment 

through energy efficient products and practices. For more 

information, visit www.energystar.gov.

Contents

Energy Efficiency and Your Restaurant.................................................................................. 1

Cooking Appliances ............................................................................................................... 2

Refrigeration Systems and Ice Machines ............................................................................... 4

Lamps and Lighting Fixtures .................................................................................................. 5

Heating, Cooling and Ventilation ............................................................................................ 6

Water and Waste Management ............................................................................................. 7

Begin the Process, Learn More and Save! ............................................................................. 8

In Partnership with

PG&E Food Service Technology Center is the industry leader in commercial kitchen energy efficiency and appliance-performance testing as 

well as a leading source of expertise in commercial kitchen ventilation and sustainable building design. 

National Restaurant Association’s Conserve initiative explores conservation efforts in restaurants around the nation and offers suggestions 

and resources to help operators reduce their costs and improve their environmental performance.

Acknowledgements

This best-practices guide was created with the assistance of California’s four investor-owned utilities (Southern California Gas Company, 

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, San Diego Gas and Electric Company, and Southern California Edison). These energy suppliers are 

working together to provide comprehensive energy efficiency resources for California’s food service industry, including, but not limited 

to, the following resources: rebates for cooking and refrigeration equipment, food service specific seminars and workshops, Web tools, 

energy audits, appliance testing, and energy education centers. The California energy-efficiency research and educational programs 

are funded by California ratepayers under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission and are administered by the four 

investor-owned utilities. 

www.socalgas.com/business www.pge.com/fstc www.sdge.com/foodservice www.sce.com/CTAC

Disclaimer: all energy, water, and monetary savings listed in this document are based upon average savings for end users and are provided for 

educational purposes only. Actual energy savings might vary based on use and other factors.
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Fi

1 Install compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in your 

walk-in refrigerators and kitchen ventilation hoods (and 

throughout your restaurant where appropriate).

2 Install a high-efficiency pre-rinse spray valve 

in your dishroom and save hundreds of dollars a year!

3 Fix water leaks immediately—especially hot 

water leaks: wasted water, sewer, and water heating 

costs can add up to hundreds of dollars a year.

4 Perform walk-in refrigerator maintenance:

check and replace door gaskets; clean evaporator and 

condenser coils; check refrigerant charge.

5 Replace worn-out cooking and refrigeration 

equipment with ENERGY STAR qualified models! 

Get additional easy to 

implement tips at: 

http://conserve.restaurant.org

Energy efficiency is a sound business practice that improves profitability, reduces greenhouse gas 

emissions, and conserves resources. This guide is designed to help your restaurant save energy 

and water, protect our Earth, and boost your bottom line.

ENERGY EffIcIENcY ANd YouR RESTAuRANT

Restaurants use about 2.5 times more energy per square foot than 

other commercial buildings. 

Most commercial kitchen appliances are energy intensive. For 

instance, a typical electric deep fat fryer uses more than 11,000 

kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy per year which could cost you more 

than $1,000 in electricity. 

As energy costs increase, investing in energy efficiency is the best 

way to protect your business against these rising prices. 

You can reduce your restaurant’s energy consumption by following 

the cost Saving Tips outlined below and throughout this guide:

Buy ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. If you’re in the market 

for new equipment, think in terms of life-cycle costs, which 

include purchase price, annual energy costs, and other longterm costs associated with the equipment. High-efficiency 

appliances could cost more upfront, but significantly lower 

utility bills can make up for the price difference. Be sure to ask 

your dealer or kitchen designer to supply you with ENERGY 

STAR qualified equipment.

Cut idle time. If you leave your equipment ON when it is not 

performing useful work, it costs you money. Implement a 

startup/shutdown plan to make sure you are using only the 

equipment that you need, when you need it. 

Maintain and repair. Leaky walk-in refrigerator gaskets, freezer 

doors that do not shut, cooking appliances that have lost their 

knobs—all these “energy leaks” add up to money wasted each 

month. Don’t let everyday wear and tear drive up your energy bills. 

Cook wisely. Ovens tend to be more efficient than rotisseries; 

griddles tend to be more efficient than broilers. Examine your 

cooking methods and menu; find ways to rely on your more 

energy-efficient appliances to cook for your customers.

Recalibrate to stay efficient. The performance of your kitchen 

equipment changes over time. Thermostats and control 

systems can fail, fall out of calibration, or be readjusted. Take 

the time to do a regular thermostat check on your appliances, 

refrigeration, dish machines, and hot water heaters and reset 

them to the correct operating temperature. 

Example of the Average Energy

Consumption in a Full-service Restaurant 

(British Thermal Units [Btu])

Food 

Preparation

35%

HVAC

28%

Lighting

13%

Refrigeration

6%

Sanitation

18%
2

C

When replacing old appliances or buying new ones, look beyond 

the sticker price. Buying and installing equipment that has earned 

the ENERGY STAR could trim hundreds of dollars from your annual 

utility bills. In order to realize the most savings from your ENERGY 

STAR qualified equipment you must train your staff to use energy 

wisely by following good operating practices such as those in the 

cost-Saving Tips that follow.

Steamers

Steam cookers provide an effective way to batch-cook food but 

generating steam is an energy-intensive process. ENERGY STAR 

qualified steamers have a sealed cooking cavity that consumes a 

fraction of the energy and water required by traditional open systems. 

In many cases the dollar savings are so great that it makes sense to 

replace an existing steamer with an ENERGY STAR qualified one. 

Cost-Saving Tips 

` Look for the ENERGY STAR

` Close the door

Use the timer

Cut idle time

Maintain & repair

Good practices can save:

$250 to $350 in annual energy costs for a traditional, electric, 

open-system steamer by eliminating an hour of idle time per day.

Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified connectionless 

steamer and save:

•	 $1,000 for water and sewer costs annually 

•	 $1,100 in gas or electricity annually 

(gas or electric steamers)

Equating to an average $2,100 total savings 

(some restaurants with high commercial sewer costs can 

save hundreds of dollars more annually).

F

Energy-efficient fryers that have earned the ENERGY STAR 

offer shorter cook times, faster temperature recovery times, and 

ultimately higher pound-per-hour production rates through advanced 

burner and heat exchanger designs. Some models also offer an 

insulated fry pot, which reduces standby losses, giving the fryer a 

lower idle energy rate.

Cost-Saving Tips

` Look for the ENERGY STAR

` Cut idle time & turn off back-up 

fryers when possible

Recalibrate

Good practices can save:

$250 annually for a gas fryer by cutting four hours of idle 

time per day.

Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified fryer and save:

•	 $100 for electricity annually (electric fryer), or

•	 $450 for gas annually (gas fryer)

C

Convection ovens are the industry standard due to faster cooktimes produced by increased hot air movement inside the oven 

cavity. In addition, convection ovens are now eligible for ENERGY 

STAR qualification.

Cost-Saving Tips 

` Look for the ENERGY STAR

` Cut idle time & turn off backup ovens when possible

Fully load the oven when 

cooking

Replace seals & tighten 

hinges

Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified convection oven 

and save:

•	 $190 for electricity annually (electric oven), or

•	 $360 for gas annually (gas oven)
3

Griddles

Griddles are a versatile piece of equipment and a workhorse 

appliance found on most kitchen lines. Variations in efficiency, 

production capacity, and temperature uniformity make it important 

to choose wisely when shopping for a griddle. Many energyefficient griddles can deliver both high production capacity and 

excellent temperature uniformity. 

•	

•	

•	

`

`

Cost-Saving Tips 

Look for the ENERGY STAR

Cut idle time

Recalibrate

Good practices can save:

$250 annually from a gas griddle by cutting three hours of 

idle time per day.

Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified griddle and save:

$190 for electricity annually (electric griddle), or

$175 for gas annually (gas griddle)

H

ENERGY STAR hot food holding cabinets typically feature 

improved insulation, so heat stays in the cabinet and out of the 

kitchen. An insulated ENERGY STAR holding cabinet uses about 

half the energy consumed by an uninsulated cabinet. Other 

available features that could potentially save energy include 

magnetic door gaskets, auto-door closers, and dutch doors. 

Cost-Saving Tips 

Look for the ENERGY STAR

Shut off overnight

Use the timer

Replace missing or worn out 

control knobs

Good practices can save:

$500 annually by turning off an uninsulated holding cabinet 

when the kitchen is closed.

Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified holding cabinet and save:

$310 to $880 annually for electricity

C

The combination oven is an extremely 

versatile cooking platform with the 

added bonus of a self-cleaning feature. 

Operating a combination oven in “steam” 

or “combination” mode typically uses 

more energy and water than operating 

in traditional convection mode. Use 

the oven’s programming capabilities to 

properly control different cooking modes 

to maximize energy efficiency and cost 

savings. Do your homework when buying a combination oven: the 

most efficient models will use about half as much energy and water 

as the inefficient models.

Good practices can save:

$400 to $800 annually off an electric combination oven by 

cutting out two hours of idle time per day.

If ENERGY STAR qualified models don’t exist for the 

type of equipment you’re looking for don’t worry: you 

still have options. Ask distributors and manufacturers 

for energy use information, and check online for 

equipment reviews. The california commercial food 

service incentive program is also a third-party resource 

because, like ENERGY STAR, appliances that qualify 

must meet designated efficiency standards. The list of 

qualifying appliances can be found at: www.fishnick.

com/saveenergy/rebates.
4

Broilers

Broilers are true kitchen workhorses but their dependability and 

simplicity come at a price: searing heat requires a great deal 

of energy and broilers have simple, non-thermostatic controls. 

This combination can make the broiler the most energy intensive 

appliance in the kitchen. For example, one gas broiler can use 

more energy than six gas fryers. A new generation of broilers 

incorporates better radiant designs, allowing the broiler to get the 

job done while consuming about 25 percent less energy.







`

`

`

•	

•	

Cost-Saving Tips 

` Cut preheat time

` Turn off unneeded sections

Reduce idle time

Replace missing knobs

Good practices can save:

$600 annually by cutting out three hours of idle time per day.

Ranges

The range top is one of the most widely used pieces of equipment 

in restaurant kitchens. Ranges are manually controlled and can be 

energy guzzlers depending on how you operate them. A potential 

alternative to traditional range tops are induction ranges; they are 

more expensive but offer very high efficiency, rapid heat up, precise 

controls, and low maintenance. 

Cost-Saving Tips 

Maintain and adjust burners

Use a lid 

Cut idle time

REfRIGERATIoN SYSTEmS ANd IcE mAchINES

Reach-In Refrigerators and freezers 

Compared to standard models, ENERGY STAR qualified commercial 

refrigerators and freezers can lead to energy savings of as much 

as 30 percent. Glass door refrigerators and freezers can now earn 

the ENERGY STAR too! Features that could potentially save energy 

include improved insulation and components such as high-efficiency 

compressors and motors.

Cost-Saving Tips 

Look for the ENERGY STAR

Turn off door heaters 

when possible

Clean coils

Set defrost timers

Replace worn gaskets

Buy ENERGY STAR qualified equipment and save:

$55 for electricity annually (per solid door refrigerator) 

or $70 annually (per glass door refrigerator)

$175 for electricity annually (per solid door freezer) or 

$325 annually (per glass door freezer)

W

Walk-in refrigerators are extremely important to any successful 

restaurant. Improve this equipment’s energy performance with a 

few inexpensive upgrades and good practices, such as:

Swapping out incandescent light bulbs for low-temperature 

ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can 

reduce the lamps’ heat output by 75 percent! (Look for the 

lowest possible “minimum start temperature” on the CFL box, 

e.g., zero degrees Fahrenheit.) 

Adding strip curtains and automatic door closers to your walkin refrigerator: they are inexpensive and easy-to-install. Strip 

curtains can cut outside air infiltration by about 75 percent!

Installing electronically commutated motors (ECM) on 

the evaporator and condenser fans reduces fan energy 

consumption by approximately two-thirds.

Cost-Saving Tips 

Allow air circulation

Insulate suction lines

Check refrigerant charge

Repair and realign doors

Clean coils
5

Ice machines

Commercial ice machines that earn the ENERGY STAR are on 

average 15 percent more energy efficient and 10 percent more 

water efficient than standard models.

Cut down on your daytime electricity demand by installing a 

timer and shifting ice production to nighttime off-peak hours. 







Bigger ice machines are typically more efficient than smaller 

ones, yet the price difference is usually not very large. Choose 

wisely and you could get twice the ice capacity at half the 

energy cost per pound of ice. 

Avoid water-cooled ice machines because of their high 

water cost, which make them significantly more expensive 

to operate. Note: water-cooled ice machines do not currently 

qualify for ENERGY STAR.

Cost-Saving Tips 

` Look for the ENERGY STAR

` Clean the coils

Keep the lid closed

Adjust the purge water timer

Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified ice machine and save:

•	 $130 for electricity annually

•	 $18 for water annually

Lamps and Lighting Fixtures

In a typical restaurant, lights are usually on for 16 to 20 hours a 

day. For many areas in your restaurant, high-efficiency 

ENERGY STAR CFLs and lighting fixtures are your ticket 

to savings.

Install ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures and CFLs in 

your dining area and reduce energy consumption and 

heat output by 75 percent. 











Install occupancy sensors in closets, storage rooms, break rooms, 

restrooms, and even walk-in refrigerators. Look for sealed, lowtemperature-specific sensors for refrigerated environments. 

If your restaurant features linear fluorescent lighting with T12 

lamps and magnetic ballasts it is time to upgrade. Switch to 

more efficient T8 or T5 lamps with electronic ballasts. Electronic 

ballasts typically have faster on-times and do not hum or flicker. 

Look for utility incentives for lighting upgrades in your area.

Swap your old Open/Closed and EXIT signs with LED 

technology for electricity savings up to 80 percent.

Visit www.energystar.gov/lighting for more cost-saving information.

Incandescent Lamp CFL $0

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

$600

Savings

$330 

Annual Savings After Replacing 

Eight Incandescent Lamps with Eight CFLs 

CFL vs. Incandescent Light Bulbs

If each of the 945,000 restaurants in the United States replaced only one 

incandescent light bulb with a CFL, more than 630 million pounds of CO emissions 

could be avoided each year (the annual greenhouse gas emissions from m2

ore than 

52,000 passenger vehicles*), and the restaurant industry could save about $42.5 

million annually. 

*Source: EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator: www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/

energy-resources/calculator.html

M

CFL
6

Heating

Making smart decisions about your restaurant’s heating, 

ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big 

effect on your utility bills—and your customers’ comfort.

H

Heating and cooling systems account for a large portion of your 

restaurant’s annual energy use. For many restaurants, heating and 

cooling is second only to food 

preparation in terms of annual 

energy consumption.

Energy use falls by 4 to 5 

percent for every degree 

that you raise your cooling 

thermostat setpoint. Easing 

back on central cooling by only 

3°F could trim air conditioning 

costs by 12 to 15 percent. 

Improve customer comfort 

by using an efficient ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fan to 

compensate for the difference in air temperature. Ensure that your 

heating and cooling equipment is included in the start-up and shut 

down schedule to save even more.

Don’t forget about the restroom! ENERGY STAR qualified 

ventilating fans use 70 percent less energy than standard models. 

Cost-Saving Tips 

` Look for the ENERGY STAR

` Clean heat-transfer coils

Replace air filters

Consider an Energy 

Management System

Repair broken duct work 

Recommission economizers

Buy ENERGY STAR qualified equipment and save:

$1.70 per square foot over the life of the HVAC 

equipment ($4,250 for a 2,500 square foot restaurant; 

or $430 annually) 

•	

•	

•	

$15 annually for electricity costs per ceiling fan

$75 annually for electricity costs for ventilating fans 

that are run continuously 

According to the consortium for Energy Efficiency 

(cEE), at least 25 percent of all rooftop hvAc units 

are oversized, resulting in increased energy costs and 

equipment wear. Properly sized equipment dramatically 

cuts energy costs, increases the life of the equipment, 

and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

K

An unbalanced or poorly designed kitchen exhaust system can 

allow heat and smoke to spill into your kitchen, spelling trouble 

both for your restaurant’s air quality and for your utility bills. 

Spillage leads to a hot, uncomfortable working environment and 

higher energy bills for air-conditioned kitchens. 

 Cut down on spillage by adding inexpensive side panels to hoods.





Push each cooking appliance as far back against the wall as 

possible to maximize hood overhang and close the air gap 

between the appliance and the wall.

Install a demand-based exhaust control. It uses sensors to 

monitor your cooking and varies the exhaust fan speed to 

match your ventilation needs. Demand ventilation controls 

could reduce your exhaust system costs by anywhere from 30 

to 50 percent and can be installed on either new equipment or 

retrofitted to existing hoods.

Learning More About Kitchen Ventilation

If you’re getting ready to design a new kitchen or renovate an 

old one, check out “Improving Commercial Kitchen Ventilation 

System Performance,” a two-part kitchen ventilation design 

guide written by the experts at PG&E FSTC and available at: 

www.fishnick.com/equipment/ckv/designguides.

W

Applying a clear, heat rejecting window film will help cut your 

cooling costs while making your dining room more comfortable. 

Use only high quality window film installed by a qualified 

professional.

Patio heaters

The best approach to saving money with patio heaters is to cut 

back their use—both for hours of operation and for the number of 

patio heaters running at any given time. Patio heaters are radiant 

devices that heat up quickly so there is no reason to leave them 

running if a seating area is temporarily empty. 

Good practices can save:

$530 per heater annually by cutting three hours of use per day
7

Water

W

Using water more efficiently 

preserves water supplies, 

saves money, and protects the 

environment. By conserving 

hot water you trim not one but 

two bills: one for the water 

and sewer and another for 

the electricity or natural gas 

used to heat the water used 

in bathroom faucets, kitchen 

sinks, and dishwashers.

Cost-Saving Tips 

Look for the ENERGY STAR 

and WaterSense label

`

Add aerators

Install WaterSense labeled 

toilets

Repair leaks

Reduce sink and tap usage

Similar to the ENERGY STAR, the WaterSense® 

label identifies water-efficient products and 

programs. WaterSense is a partnership program 

sponsored by EPA and additional information is 

available at: www.epa.gov/watersense.

Good practices can save:

$1,000 annually by turning down dipper wells and making 

sure they are OFF when the kitchen is closed

$1,000 annually by fixing leaks in sinks, mop-stations, and 

dishmachines

Look for WaterSense labeled equipment and use 

WaterSense irrigation partners to landscape your 

restaurant:

Bathroom faucets are 30 percent more water efficient

Landscaping with WaterSense irrigation partner could save 

you 15 percent compared to average watering bills

H

A high-efficiency, or low-flow, pre-rinse spray valve is one of the 

most cost-effective energy saving 

devices available to the foodservice 

operator. And it is easy to install! Just 

unscrew your old spray valve and screw in 

your new, water-efficient one.

In addition to minimizing hot water consumption, 

you can reduce both your water-heating and sewer 

expenditures per month. How? Typical spray valves can release 

hot water at a rate of three to four gallons of water per minute 

(gpm), while common high-efficiency units spray only 1.6 gpm or 

less without sacrificing cleaning power! 

Buy a 1.6 gpm spray valve and save:

$300 to $350 annually for water, sewer, and natural 

gas costs annually (used one hour a day and compared 

to 3 gpm sprayer). 

Additional information is available at: www.fishnick.com/equipment/sprayvalves.
8

D

From an operational standpoint, dishwashers are one of the 

most expensive pieces of equipment in your kitchen. Commercial 

dishwashers that have earned the ENERGY STAR are on average 25 

percent more energy and water efficient than standard models. 

Run fully loaded dish racks through the dish machine. Cutting 

wash cycles could save you hundreds of dollars annually.







Pay attention to your dishwasher’s pressure gauge—if it’s 

showing pressure above 25 psi, there is a good chance you are 

using much more water than is necessary. Most dishwashers 

require only around 20 psi.

If you have a conveyor-style dishwasher, make sure you are 

using it in auto mode, which saves electricity by running the 

conveyor motor only when needed.

Cost-Saving Tips 

` Look for the ENERGY STAR

` Turn off at night

Replace torn wash 

curtains

Repair leaks

Replace worn spray heads

Buy an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher and save:

•	 $720 for electricity annually

•	 $300 for water annually

W

Waste reduction leads to increased operating 

efficiency and cost savings. Decreased solid 

waste generation reduces collection and 

disposal costs just as reducing electricity and 

water consumption reduces utility bills. Waste 

minimization also may reduce your purchasing costs for 

restaurant supplies. 

Using recycling and composting bins, sustainable take-out 

containers, and “green” signage are all excellent ways to announce 

and to demonstrate to your customers your efforts to be more 

environmentally sustainable and aware.

For help identifying waste reduction opportunities please visit 

www.epa.gov/wastewise.

BEGIN ThE PRocESS, lEARN moRE ANd SAvE!

The best first step is to perform an energy audit on your facility. 

Energy service providers (utilities), state energy offices, and 

private sector product and service providers can assist you in 

identifying a trained professional to conduct your audit. However, 

comprehensive, affordable energy audits are not available 

everywhere in the country for commercial food service businesses. 

To help address the lack of energy audits in many communities, 

ENERGY STAR provides free online tools and information to 

achieve energy savings. ENERGY STAR’s basic guidance for selfassessments is part of the Guidelines for Energy Management, 

“Step 2: Assess Performance,” at: www.energystar.gov/guidelines.

In addition, ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager software is designed 

to help businesses “benchmark” and track energy use, costs, and 

greenhouse gas emissions. Portfolio Manager also offers the option 

to track water use and renewable energy credits—all in a password 

protected online file. Portfolio Manager users can track multiple 

facilities independently or aggregate all the business locations 

into one file. Your restaurant can generate a Statement of Energy 

Performance which includes a “weather-normalized” kBtu/ft2

 energy 

use intensity calculation, associated greenhouse gas emissions and 

a national average for similar building types. Access to the software 

and free online training in use of Portfolio Manager is available at:

www.energystar.gov/benchmark.

Once you have identified the areas of potential energy savings, 

decide which energy efficiency upgrades you want to install and 

what practices to initiate. If your finances and operating schedule 

make it impractical to perform all the upgrades at once, you can take 

a staged approached and install them as time and money allow. 

Remember, having your restaurant manager 100 percent on 

board is absolutely key to saving your restaurant money and 

protecting the environment! Your best-laid energy-saving plans are 

only as good as the staff that is implementing them!
9

For more information, please consult the following online resources:

 ENERGY STAR Commercial Food Service:













www.energystar.gov/cfs

ENERGY STAR Restaurants: www.energystar.gov/restaurants

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager: www.energystar.gov/benchmark

PG&E Food Service Technology Center: www.fishnick.com

National Restaurant Association Conserve: http://conserve.restaurant.org

EPA WaterSense: www.epa.gov/watersense

EPA WasteWise: www.epa.gov/wastewise

Find Monetary Incentives

ENERGY STAR CFS Incentive Finder: 

go to www.energystar.gov/cfs and click 

on “Special Offers” or go to 

www.energystar.gov/cfsrebate _ locator
10

November 2010 EPA 430-R-09-030 

For more information visit www.energystar.gov.

Food Service

Technology Center

Promoting Energy Efficiency in Food Service