BETHESDA, Md., July 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Your favorite North American airport restaurants and travel venues are eliminating plastic straws thanks to global restaurateur HMSHost. The company operates award-winning casual and quick-service dining locations at airports and motorways across North America. Approximately 100 million straws were used at HMSHost North American locations last year, but that will soon end. HMSHost announced the elimination of its plastic straw use by 2020.
“At HMSHost, we believe that each of us can start somewhere to make our world a better place. Today, I’m proud to further our commitment as good corporate citizens with the elimination of plastic straws by 2020,” said HMSHost President and CEO Steve Johnson. “Our position in this industry allows us to lead in the areas of sustainability and environmental protection. I encourage our industry peers to join us in this vital step to have a lasting impact for future generations.”
Americans use an average of 500 million drinking straws daily and more than 175 billion straws find their way into landfills and oceans every year. To meet our objective of ending plastic straw use, HMSHost will work with its expansive portfolio of restaurant brands to reduce waste and find sustainable, innovative alternatives.
HMSHost has already made strides in this sustainability area. Earlier this year, HMSHost began eliminating plastic cocktail stirrers in nearly all casual dining locations. HMSHost created two straw-free signature cocktails to raise awareness and further fuel the conversation on social media about the environmental impact of plastic straws and other single-use plastics, using the hashtag #NoStraws.
A complete list of HMSHost-operated locations in North America is available on the HMSHost location finder map.
HMSHost Leading the Industry
HMSHost is recognized by the industry as the top provider of travel dining with awards such as 2018 Best Overall Food & Beverage Operator (for the eleventh consecutive year) by Airport Revenue News. USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Awards recognized HMSHost’s Summer House Santa Monica at Chicago O’Hare International Airport as Best Airport Bar / Restaurant Atmosphere. HMSHost infuses innovation and culinary expertise into everything we do; with events such as the first-of-its-kind Airport Restaurant Month at more than 50 airports across North America, the award-winning Channel Your Inner Chef live culinary contest at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, and the Adrian Awards Gold winning campaigns, #HMSHostLove and Eat Well. Travel Further.
About HMSHost
Global restaurateur HMSHost is a world leader in creating dining for travel venues. HMSHost operates in more than 120 airports around the globe and at more than 100 travel plazas in North America. The company has annual sales of nearly $3.3 billion and employs more than 41,000 associates worldwide. HMSHost is a part of Autogrill Group, the world’s leading provider of food & beverage services for people on the move. With sales of €4.6 billion in 2017, the group operates in 31 countries and employs over 58,000 people. It manages approximately 4,000 stores in about 1,000 locations worldwide. Visit HMSHost.com for more information and connect with HMSHost on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
HMSHost Media Contact: Lina Mizerek
Lina.Mizerek@HMSHost.com
Phone: 240-694-4196