Fast food restaurants find it hard to come into the good books of the public when it comes to corporate responsibility. Millions of dollars are wasted when recyclables are dumped. However, there are certain companies that are inching towards making the recyclables usable again and also earning accolades from the public. The public view also mirrors the view of the investors. So we can say that the fast food joints that worked upon their environmental hygiene also found it easy to make sales and attract investors.
One such company is Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX). Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) isn’t strictly a fast food joint but it certainly falls under the sub category. It earned accolades form NRDC for reusing mugs and recyclable material for containers. In this way, Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) saved money and also demonstrated that no all fast food companies are hell bent on destruction (of health and environment). Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) is hated for many reasons but it has always kept its investors happy and that is the reason it fares well on the stock market.
The second place, surprisingly, belongs to McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD), which has been in the news only for negative reasons since the past couple of years. The adverse health effects of Fast Food has been injurious to McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) reputation and sales but that doesn’t change the fact that the fast food chain is the biggest recycler in the industry. In fact, it’s one of those fast food joints that were the first in the queue to take the initiative for environmental matters.
Health concerns have marred fast food joints. People are opting for family diners that offer an orthodox menu which centers on healthy food. In such circumstances, Fast food joints have found it hard to make business and attract investors. But environmental initiatives can set a precedent and change the perception of the public and the investors on the market. McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) recently started to regain its numbers at some areas in the region it covers. Slowly and gradually it will reclaim its throne, only if it continues to lead such environmental initiatives and activities.
Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX), on the other hand, hasn’t been short on sales at all and has been growing consistently. Its sales are solid and its investors are in it for the long run. Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) hasn’t been in a desperate position as compared to McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD), and even so it has been running side by side with McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) in saving money when it comes to recycling used stuff.
McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) will need some time to regain its place in the market. It has tried almost everything with the menu but hasn’t pinned down the problem. Perhaps it was a long bad patch which is coming to an end, which is good news for the fast food joint. Let’s see if the fast food era comes back in its full swing. It’s unlikely but it can’t be written off as impossible.
