The bikes are also advantageous to quick-service or fast casual restaurants with a younger workforce, as they do not require drivers to have auto insurance. Bike operators can also drive on spaces like sidewalks and bike lanes; the Federal Government recognizes the product as a bike, even though it is motorized. The motorized aspect also provides a "wow" factor that helps play into the food truck frenzy. Chains are also able to brand their "vehicles" with magnetized logos that the Thrust company provides.
Other highlights from the Conserve Solutions Center included the NRA's new Greener Restaurants program, which allows restaurants to track their progress along a handful of green and sustainable practices, including energy efficiency, water conservation, building/construction, waste reduction, and administration. The program also includes estimations on approximate times of ROI, and an area for restaurants to report their own energy-saving innovations not already listed.
The Green Restaurant Association also had an area of GRA-sanctioned products, including the Vegawatt product that converts used fry oil into electricity for restaurants. The turnkey solution can generate 10 to 20 percent of a restaurant's power, depending on a location's size, energy usage and cooking methods. Company founders say they are first to market with the technology, and that there are no byproducts generated in turning the oil into fuel.
