Promoting Sustainable Food Practices in Food Service Industry: An Empirical Investigation on Saudi Arabian Restaurants

Abstract

While facing environmental challenges and rising concerns around food security and equitable access to nutritious food, sustainable food practices (SFPs) have emerged as a crucial focus area for the restaurant industry. Hence, this study aims to investigate key drivers of promoting SFPs, including customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behaviors, governmental laws and regulations around sustainability, the commitment of restaurants to combat climate change, the financial and non-financial outcomes of adopting SFPs, and restaurants’ values and culture toward sustainability. In addition, it explores the power of promoting these practices in driving restaurants’ economic, environmental, and social performance. To achieve these objectives, an online survey was administered to restaurant owners and top managers interested in implementing these practices. Accordingly, eight hypotheses, which explored the direct relationships between this study’s variables, were tested using PLS-SEM with bootstrapping. Based on 221 valid responses, this study revealed that all proposed paths were significant and aligned with each hypothesis. Notably, sustainable behavior exhibited by customers and stakeholders had the greatest influence on promoting SFPs, followed by the values and culture of restaurants related to sustainability and restaurants’ commitment to combatting climate change. Additionally, promoting SFPs was a crucial predictor for enhancing restaurants’ economic, environmental, and social performance, respectively. Upon these findings, restaurant owners and top managers should build a solid framework for promoting SFPs in their establishments by focusing on these factors, thereby improving their overall economic, environmental, and social performance.

1. Introduction

The food service industry in Saudi Arabia is one of the largest and most rapidly developing sectors in the Middle East, with a market size of USD 27.8 billion in 2023 and a projected growth rate of 11.57% from 2022 to 2029 [1,2]. The industry encompasses a wide range of businesses, including restaurants, cafes, catering services, and food trucks. Food service businesses in Saudi Arabia have seen remarkable growth in the past few years, thanks in part to the country’s growing population, the high disposable income, the expansion of the tourism and entertainment industries, the increasing demand for home delivery and online ordering, and the changing consumer preferences and lifestyles [1,3]. Baig et al. [4], as well as Food Export [5], suggested that the growth of the food service industry in Saudi Arabia is driven by several factors, including the willingness of consumers to experiment with new food products, a growing preference for fast foods and casual dining restaurants among the country’s younger population, and a high per capita income that has led to changing lifestyles and dietary habits. Additionally, the diverse and multicultural makeup of Saudi Arabia—with over 13 million expatriates and millions of religious pilgrims visiting each year—has created a demand for a greater variety of ethnic foods which was defined as “an ethnic group’s or a country’s cuisine that is culturally and socially accepted by consumers outside of the respective ethnic group” ([6], p. 1). For example, French, Indian, Thai, Korean, and Italian food are all considered ethnic foods outside of their own countries [6].

Even so, like most developing countries, the food service industry in Saudi Arabia faces significant sustainability challenges that threaten its environmental, social, and economic performance. Saudi Arabia is a country that is heavily reliant on food imports and subsidized food to meet the needs of its growing population, with an estimated 80% of its food supply coming from outside its borders [3]. Further, Baig et al. [7] noted that Saudi Arabia ranked among the highest food wasters, with an alarming 427 kg of food wasted per capita annually. This reliance on imports, a quickly growing population, and rising food waste rates have put the country’s food system under strain [3,4,7]. These challenges negatively impact natural resources, climate change mitigation efforts, food security, nutrition status, animal welfare, biodiversity conservation, customer satisfaction, and loyalty to the industry. Sustainable food practices (SFPs) in the restaurant industry can be crucial in mitigating these challenges and ensuring a more environmentally friendly, socially, and economically viable future for the food service industry [8,9,10,11].

In the context of the food service industry in Saudi Arabia, more efforts have been taken to promote these practices. For instance, AZKA Farms, one of the most popular organic farms in Saudi Arabia, has provided farm-to-table solutions and services to the local community by offering organic, pesticide-free, and fresh produce. One of the unique features of AZKA Farms is its commitment to sustainable practices. The farm is designed to minimize its environmental impact, with solar panels providing electricity and natural irrigation systems using harvested rainwater. This focus on sustainability has made the farm a leader in the organic farming industry. In addition to supplying local consumers, AZKA Farms also provides educational and recreational opportunities. They offer organized tours and field trips that educate visitors about organic farming and provide them with hands-on experience growing and harvesting their crops. The farm also organizes workshops and events to promote sustainable agriculture and healthy lifestyles [12,13].

To successfully encourage the adoption of SFPs, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the various drivers that impact their implementation and their contribution to improving economic, environmental, and social performance. These drivers may include consumer awareness and demand for sustainable products, government policies that support sustainable practices, and commitment to combat climate change and environmental degradation. Additionally, financial and non-financial incentives and the restaurant’s value and culture around sustainability can also help drive the adoption of SFPs [14,15,16,17,18,19].

Previous research in Saudi Arabia has primarily focused on exploring the root causes of food waste, identifying potential combating measures, and assessing its impact on the country’s sustainability [4,7]. Further, existing SFP research has yet to extensively explore the drivers and consequences of promoting SFPs in the restaurant industry context, specifically in developing nations such as Saudi Arabia. Most environment-related studies in the context of the hospitality sector have been conducted in developed countries, and more attention needs to be given to developing nations [20]. Considering this, further research is required as there may be variations in the perception of SFPs between developed and developing countries. To fill these gaps in academic literature, this study aims to examine how SFPs are influenced by various factors in the restaurant industry context, such as customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behaviors (C&SSB), governmental laws and regulations around sustainability (GL&R), the commitment of restaurants to combat climate change (CC), the financial and non-financial outcomes of adopting SFPs (F&NF), and restaurants’ values and culture toward sustainability (RV&C) on promoting SFPs. In addition, to explore the impact of promoting SFPs on Saudi Arabian restaurants’ environmental, economic, and social performance. To accomplish these objectives, restaurant owners and top managers will be surveyed to respond to the following questions: (1) To what extent do C&SSB, GL&R, CC, F&NF, and RV&C affect the promotion of SFPs? (2) What key factors significantly contribute to promoting SFPs? (3) How do SFPs affect Saudi Arabian restaurants’ environmental, economic, and social performance directly?

This study can contribute to the literature on SFPs and the restaurant industry’s sustainability. The contributions and significance of this study are several-fold. Firstly, this study extends the existing academic literature by examining the drivers and consequences of promoting SFPs, specifically in the restaurant industry of developing countries like Saudi Arabia. Secondly, this study seeks to identify the most influential factors that significantly contribute to promoting SFPs. Thirdly, this study’s findings could also inform policymakers and industry stakeholders about the benefits of promoting SFPs, leading to developing policies and strategies that support SFPs in the restaurant industry context. Finally, a unique framework has been designed to investigate the relationships between this study’s constructs. This model may be a valuable base for future research among hospitality scholars exploring SFPs across various field sectors.

2. Theoretical Background and Hypotheses Development

2.1. Sustainable Food Practices in the Food Service Industry

In the restaurant industry context, SFPs refer to measures that promote environmental protection, economic stability, and equitable access to healthy food choices while preserving food cultures and traditions [21,22]. These practices include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, sourcing local and seasonal foods, designing sustainable menus, creating awareness about sustainable food practices, and offering healthier options [9,10,23,24,25]. To reduce their environmental impact, restaurants can build partnerships with local farmers, choose in-season ingredients, manage inventory, donate excess food, and use composting and recycling programs [26,27,28,29,30,31]. Moreover, restaurants can be essential in educating their customers about food sustainability [26]. Educating customers through menu descriptions and information about food production and consumption can promote food sustainability [32]. By considering these measures, restaurants may encourage SFPs and significantly contribute to sustainable development.

2.2. Factors Affecting Promoting Sustainable Food Practices

To effectively promote SFPs, it is essential to recognize the drivers that affect their implementation, such as consumer demand for sustainable products and services [33,34,35]. The change in consumer needs and demands greatly affected adoption of sustainable and green practices in the restaurant industry context [14,16]. Cho and Yoo [14] and Raab et al. [15] illustrated that restaurants must evaluate their sustainability policies to meet these demands and remain competitive. This may involve sourcing local and organic ingredients, using energy-efficient equipment, and reducing food waste [10,35,36]. Further, consumers becoming more aware of their environmental impact seek restaurants that share their values and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability [14,15].

Another factor influencing the promotion of SFPs in the restaurant industry is the governmental regulations and laws around sustainability [16,17]. The increase in regulations and laws around sustainability can also have a significant impact on the restaurant industry and its responsibilities toward the environment [37,38]. With the growing awareness and concerns about the effect of food production and consumption on the environment, there is a trend towards tighter regulations and increased enforcement from governing bodies, ensuring that industries produce their goods and services in a socially and environmentally responsible manner [39,40,41]. One direct impact of these regulations and laws on the restaurant industry is that they must adopt and promote sustainable food practices, equipment, and waste management systems.

Furthermore, providing benefits such as tax breaks, lowered taxes, and subsidies and incentives by government and public authorities can greatly motivate businesses to adopt eco-friendly practices and green technologies [17,42]. In addition to the previous factors, Rabb et al. [15] examined the motivations and behaviors of restaurant managers regarding sustainable practices. According to the study, restaurant managers were primarily influenced by the coercive pressures exerted by suppliers and customers, followed by normative pressures from their employees and society, and mimetic pressures from their competitors.

In addition to the previous external factors, some internal factors may significantly affect the promotion of SFPs in the restaurant industry. For example, the level of commitment shown by restaurants toward reducing their negative environmental impact through the adaptation of measures to combat climate change and minimize greenhouse gas emissions is a crucial factor that could impact the promotion of SFPs [15].

Restaurants generate substantial waste in landfills, producing methane gas and contributing to climate change [43,44]. Further, they also consume a significant amount of energy, from lighting, heating, and cooling to running equipment for food preparation. Fossil fuels power most of the energy consumption, resulting in greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to climate change. Such emissions affect ecological systems and contribute to global warming, a significant environmental threat [45,46]. To be more sustainable, restaurants must adopt environmentally conscious approaches to enhance their reputation and minimize their ecological footprint. In their empirical study, Abdou et al. [47] demonstrated that hotels’ commitment to environmental sustainability was the key motivator to adopt environmentally responsible practices.

The financial and non-financial outcomes of adopting eco-friendly/green practices are the second internal factor that may affect the promotion of SFPs. By adopting sustainable food practices, restaurants can save money by reducing food waste and using energy-efficient equipment. Additionally, they can attract environmentally conscious customers, boost sales, and gain a competitive advantage by marketing their sustainable practices [16,48,49].

Entrepreneurs’ and top management’s attitudes toward sustainability, as well as the culture and values of the restaurant toward sustainability, are also seen as vital factors in driving environmental practices [10,19]. The empirical investigation conducted by Saengchai and Jermsittiparsert [19] concluded that Thai restaurants and hotels with a strong organizational culture are more likely to adopt environmentally friendly practices. By prioritizing sustainability, inspiring employees to learn about sustainable practices and receive training on implementing them, and encouraging green innovation, restaurants can create a culture that supports sustainability and benefits the environment, customers, and their businesses [50]. Given the results of the previous research, one could hypothesize that:

H1. 

Customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behaviors significantly contribute to promoting SFPs.

H2. 

Governmental laws and regulations around sustainability significantly contribute to promoting SFPs.

H3. 

The restaurant’s commitment to combatting climate change has a significant positive effect on promoting SFPs.

H4. 

The financial and non-financial outcomes of adopting SFPs have a significant positive effect on promoting SFPs.

H5. 

The restaurant’s values and culture toward sustainability significantly contribute to promoting SFPs.

2.3. Sustainable Food Practices and Economic Performance

In the context of the association between SFPs and economic performance, research suggests that implementing sustainable practices can have a considerable positive effect on restaurants’ financial performance. As a cost–benefit analysis, SFPs can substantially affect a restaurant’s economic performance by reducing operating costs [31,51]. For instance, by implementing SFPs, restaurants may optimize their use of resources, such as energy, water, and food, which can lead to significant cost savings. In addition, reducing food waste through sustainable practices can save money on disposal fees and lower the cost of ingredients. Additionally, efficient energy and water use can reduce utility bills and minimize the impact of price fluctuations on these resources [52,53]. SFPs may also positively affect a restaurant’s sales and overall performance. By offering sustainable food options, restaurants may attract a growing number of customers looking for eco-friendly choices [54,55]. Recently, the demand for sustainable food options has grown significantly, and more customers are willing to pay a premium for sustainable food [56,57,58]. SFPs can also help enhance a restaurant’s brand image, leading to increased loyalty and customer retention [59,60]. In conclusion, by prioritizing SFPs, restaurant owners and managers can ensure their businesses’ long-term success and economic sustainability. Hence, it could be assumed that:

H6. 

SFPs significantly contribute to enhancing Saudi Arabian restaurants’ economic performance.

2.4. Sustainable Food Practices and Environmental Performance

Restaurants are significant contributors to food waste and the emission of greenhouse gases [61]. Adopting SFPs can help restaurants reduce their environmental impact. Prior studies revealed that one of the primary ways SFPs can affect ecological sustainability is by reducing food waste [30,62]. According to the FAO, approximately one-third of all food produced worldwide is lost or wasted [63]. The consequences of food waste include not only the production of greenhouse gases but also the squandering of previously utilized resources to produce food. Therefore, by decreasing food waste, restaurants can significantly reduce their negative environmental impacts [64].

Another way SFPs can affect environmental sustainability in restaurants is by promoting locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. By sourcing ingredients from local farmers, restaurants can reduce the carbon footprint of transporting the ingredients over long distances [24,54]. Additionally, using seasonal ingredients can help reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by limiting energy-intensive food storage and transportation methods. Furthermore, restaurants can adopt energy-efficient appliances to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions significantly [65]. SFPs can also influence customers to adopt environmentally conscious practices. By incorporating SFPs into their menu, restaurants can create awareness among customers about sustainable food production and consumption practices [26,66]. Hence, it could be hypothesized that.

H7. 

SFPs significantly contribute to enhancing Saudi Arabian restaurants’ environmental performance.

2.5. Sustainable Food Practices and Social Performance

In the context of the relationship between SFPs and restaurants’ social performance, some previous studies concluded that restaurants enormously influence the communities they serve. Beyond just the food they provide, restaurants can also substantially affect their communities’ social sustainability [27]. One of the primary ways in which SFPs can affect social performance is by promoting ethical and transparent food production. SFPs can ensure that the food served in a restaurant is produced in a way that respects animal welfare, supports small-scale farmers, and is free from harmful pesticides and chemicals [26]. By using locally sourced ingredients, restaurants can support the local economy and create a sense of community pride. According to Scott [67], Saudi Arabia boasts a robust and varied local food production system encompassing traditional and contemporary retailers and suppliers. Its cuisine prominently features meals prepared with ingredients acquired within the country, such as rice, meat, lamb, vegetables, potatoes, spices, yogurt, seafood, and dates. Restaurants and food retailers can source their ingredients from local farmers and producers, creating a market for their produce. This, in turn, can help boost the local economy and provide job opportunities in the food production sector [68].

Further, SFPs also impact social sustainability by promoting healthier food options. Restaurants prioritizing fresh, organic ingredients tend to produce more beneficial and nutritious meals than those made with processed or fast food ingredients [26,69,70]. This healthier fare can contribute to better health outcomes and a more vibrant community overall. By prioritizing healthy and sustainable food options, restaurants can help create a wellness culture in their communities [26,28]. Another way SFPs can affect social sustainability is by promoting better food access. By supporting local suppliers, restaurants can support the local economy and help increase the availability and affordability of fresh and in-season produce [17,71]. This can make healthy food options more accessible to the community while supporting the welfare of local small-scale farmers [26,27]. Accordingly, it could be suggested that:

H8. 

SFPs significantly contribute to enhancing Saudi Arabian restaurants’ social performance.

Figure 1 displays this study’s conceptual model developed from the above-discussed literature where C&SSB, GL&R, CC, F&NF, and RV&C represent the key drivers of promoting SFPs and economic, environmental, and social performance represent its consequences.

3. Materials and Methods

3.1. Measures and Instrument Development

This study used an online survey to collect data, using multi-item measurements based on previous studies to create nine constructs, each tailored to meet this study’s specific objectives. The survey had ten sections, with section 1 related to demographic details and sections 2 to 6 investigating respondents’ perceptions of factors promoting sustainable food practices. Section 7 aimed to shed light on the extent to which the participating respondents adopt SFPs into their operations. Moreover, sections 8 to 10 evaluated restaurants’ economic, environmental, and social performance, respectively.

This study used items based on previous studies to measure factors affecting the promotion of sustainable food practices (SFPs), modified from Raab et al. [15], Kasim and Ismail [16], Perramon et al. [24], Wang et al. [39], Cantele and Cassia [50], Alonso-Almeida et al. [72], and Chițimiea et al. [73]. Six items measured how customers and stakeholders behave sustainably, three items measured participants’ perception of governmental laws and regulations related to sustainability, two items measured participants’ perception of restaurants’ commitment to combat climate change and financial/non-financial outcomes of adopting SFPs, respectively, and a four-item scale measured participants’ perception of restaurants’ values and culture toward sustainability. Using a five-point Likert scale, participants were asked to rate their perception of the factors on a scale ranging from “strongly disagree (1)” to “strongly agree (5)”.

The participants’ perceptions of the promoted SFPs were assessed using a ten-item scale created based on Jang and Zheng’s [11] research. The surveyed participants were requested to rate the extent of adopting SFPs using a five-point Likert-type scale ranging from “to no extent” (1) to “to a very great extent” (5).

To evaluate the sustainability performance of restaurants, questions from previous studies by Abdou et al. [17], Fernando et al. [74], and Ch’ng et al. [75] were used. Environmental performances were assessed on a revised four-item scale. However, economic and social performance was evaluated on a three-item scale each. All sustainable performance items were rated on a Likert-type scale with five response options ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). See Appendix A for the measurement scales used in this study.

The questionnaire was initially written in English and then translated into Arabic by two bilingual researchers. To ensure consistency, two additional experts translated the survey back into English. Following this, three hospitality scholars specializing in sustainability reviewed the survey’s content to ensure precise measurement of the targeted variables. A pilot study involving 25 participants not part of the primary research sample was conducted to guarantee an unambiguous questionnaire. Based on feedback from scholars and participants, certain statements were modified and rearranged, and the questionnaire’s organization was adjusted.

3.2. Data Collection and Sampling

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate critical drivers of promoting SFPs, including customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behaviors, governmental laws and regulations around sustainability, the commitment of restaurants to combat climate change, the financial and non-financial outcomes of adopting SFPs, and restaurants’ values and culture toward sustainability. In addition, it explores the power of promoting these practices in driving restaurants’ economic, environmental, and social performance. Restaurants in Riyadh and Jeddah that considered adopting green/eco-friendly practices were invited to participate in the field study. Riyadh and Jeddah are deemed to be the two largest cities in Saudi Arabia by population. They also have many restaurants that have adopted or are interested in adopting SFPs, making them suitable for our study.

Following the Declaration of Helsinki, this study has been approved by the deanship of the scientific research ethical committee at King Faisal University (project number: INST127, approval date: 15 February 2023).

This study targeted restaurant owners and top managers interested in adopting the SFPs as its main population. It aimed to explore the impact of key drivers that may contribute to promoting SFPs and the power of promoting these practices in driving restaurants’ economic, environmental, and social performance. Therefore, the target participants were chosen based on their interest in adopting SFPs and their potential to drive sustainability in the food industry. Additionally, it is essential to note that targeting participants interested in adopting SFPs allowed this study to gather more accurate and relevant data. It also allowed the researchers to gain insight into the challenges and benefits of adopting SFPs from those actively working towards sustainable practices in their businesses.

As a result, a web-based survey was designed and sent to them to achieve this study’s objectives. The researchers used convenience sampling for data collection. Researchers emailed each participant a link to the online survey, along with a welcome message and an explanation of the study’s purpose. Additionally, informed consent was obtained from all participants before their participation. To enhance participation, non-respondents were contacted by phone after the initial round of email invitations, and gentle reminders were sent three and six weeks later. Of 400 surveys sent, 221 valid responses were received, representing a 55.3% response rate. Data collection took nearly two months, from February to April 2023. The number of participants in this study (298) met the criteria for SEM testing suggested by Hair et al. [76] and Boomsma [77]. Hair et al. [76] stated that a minimum of 155 samples are required for PLS-SEM analysis, with the expected minimum path coefficient (P_min) falling between 0.11 to 0.20 and a significance level of 0.05. Moreover, Boomsma [77] advised that SEM should use no less than 200 samples.

Table 1. Characteristics of the investigated participants.

Characteristic	No.	%
Gender
Male	221	100
Female	-	-
Age
From 30 to 40 years old	65	29.4
From 41 to 50 years old	138	62.4
More than 50 years old	18	8.2
Educational level
University degree	156	70.6
Master degree	54	24.4
Doctorate	11	5
Current position
Restaurant manager	194	87.8
Restaurant owner	27	12.2
Length of implementing SFPs in the restaurant
Less than 1 year	28	12.7
From 1 to 3 years	144	65.2
More than 3 to 5 years	37	16.7
More than 5 years	12	5.4
Total	221	100%

presents the results based on 221 valid responses gathered from the study participants. All respondents were male, and the majority were aged from 41 to 50 (62.4%, n = 138), followed by those aged between 30 and 40 (29.4%, n = 65), while only 8.2% were over 50. Concerning educational attainment, 70.6% of the respondents possessed a university degree, 24.4% had accomplished a master’s degree, and 5% had obtained a doctorate. Regarding their current position, most participants (87.8%, n = 194) were restaurant managers, while only 12.2% were owners. Finally, this study found a significant proportion of the participants (65.2%, n = 144) expressed interest in incorporating SFPs into their operations for 1 to 3 years.

3.3. Data Analysis

To carefully analyze the data that has been collected, researchers utilized statistical programs, namely SPSS v.25 and SmartPLS v.4.0.8.7. Frequency and percentage were calculated to examine participants’ characteristics and their length of implementing SFPs in the investigated restaurant. Construct items were evaluated for reliability and validity using several statistical techniques, such as composite reliability (CR) and Cronbach’s alpha. Convergent validity was assessed using average variance extracted (AVE) and CR, while discriminant validity was assessed by applying the HTMT and Fornell–Larcker criterion. Testing of hypotheses was done using PLS-SEM with the bootstrapping technique. In addition to R², Q²_predict, and f² were employed in this study to evaluate the structural model’s predictive accuracy, relevance, and adequacy. Furthermore, a VIF (variance inflation factor) test was employed to identify the existence of multicollinearity.

4. Results

4.1. Common Method Variance (CMV)

This study employed an online questionnaire to collect data, possibly creating a CMV. Three approaches have been adopted to minimize this probability: honesty, confidentiality, and anonymity [78]. The participants were assured that their answers would be kept secret and anonymous and only used for the research. If participants are unknown, they will probably answer more honestly without bias [79]. They were also instructed to be honest, as there are no right or wrong answers. This increased the chances of getting unbiased responses [80]. Furthermore, this study applied Harman’s single-factor test (a widely used statistical test) to check for CMV. By examining the outcomes of the exploratory factor analysis, it was found that 41.1% of the variance was accounted for by a single factor, less than the pre-established threshold of 50%, indicating that CMV was not a primary concern in this research [81].

4.2. Measurement Model

Before testing the relationships presented in this study’s model, several measures were implemented to evaluate the adequacy of the measurement model. The assessment involved examining the convergence validity, discriminant validity, and reliability of the constructs. Firstly, the CR (composite reliability) method was employed to assess the constructs’ reliability, with a recommended threshold of 0.7 or higher, according to Hair et al. [76]. As depicted in

Table 2. The properties of constructs’ reliability, and validity.

Construct	Item	Outer Loading	α1	CR2	AVE3
Customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behaviors (C&SSB)	C&SSB1	0.855 ***	0.889	0.938	0.717
	C%SSB2	0.809 ***
	C&SSB3	0.889 ***
	C&SSB4	0.842 ***
	C&SSB5	0.852 ***
	C&SSB6	0.831 ***
Governmental laws and regulations around sustainability (G&LR)	GL&R1	0.910 ***	0.864	0.919	0.791
	GL&R2	0.885 ***
	GL&R3	0.874 ***
Commitment to combat climate change (CC)	CC1	0.868 ***	0.781	0.842	0.727
	CC2	0.837 ***
Financial and non-financial outcomes of adopting SFPs (F&NF)	F&NF1	0.832 ***	0.766	0.803	0.670
	F&NF2	0.806 ***
Restaurants’ values and culture toward sustainability (RV&C)	RV&C1	0.894 ***	0.854	0.914	0.727
	RV&C2	0.795 ***
	RV&C3	0.822 ***
	RV&C4	0.896 ***
Sustainable Food Practices (SFPs)	SFP1	0.901 ***	0.917	0.973	0.785
	SFP2	0.835 ***
	SFP3	0.893 ***
	SFP4	0.914 ***
	SFP5	0.940 ***
	SFP6	0.911 ***
	SFP7	0.847 ***
	SFP8	0.887 ***
	SFP9	0.819 ***
	SFP10	0.903 ***
Economic Performance (ECO)	ECO1	0.922 ***	0.883	0.915	0.783
	ECO2	0.879 ***
	ECO3	0.852 ***
Environmental Performance (ENVR)	ENVR1	0.917 ***	0.901	0.946	0.814
	ENVR2	0.905 ***
	ENVR3	0.889 ***
	ENVR4	0.897 ***
Social Performance (SOC)	SOC1	0.886 ***	0.877	0.922	0.798
	SOC2	0.904 ***
	SOC3	0.889 ***

α¹ = Cronbach’s alpha, CR² = composite reliability, AVE³ = average variance extracted, *** p < 0.001.

, the results indicated that all constructs achieved CR values ranging from 0.803 to 0.973, confirming their reliability. Additionally, this study evaluated the internal consistency of the measurements using Cronbach’s alpha, with values ranging from 0.766 to 0.917. These values exceeded the minimum threshold of 0.70 suggested by Nunnally [82], indicating that the scale items were internally consistent.

Secondly, regarding the constructs’ convergent validity, this study calculated the outer loadings and average variance extracted (AVE) [83]. According to recommendations, outer loadings equal to or exceeding 0.708 were considered acceptable [71]. When examining the results presented in Table 2, it was found that all outer loadings surpassed the threshold and were statistically significant at p < 0.001. Furthermore, an AVE value equal to or greater than 0.50 is acceptable [76]. The results indicated that all AVE values, ranging from 0.670 to 0.814, exceeded the minimum threshold of 0.50. These findings confirmed that the measurement items demonstrated convergent validity.

Thirdly, this study assessed the discriminant validity using the Fornell–Larcker criterion and HTMT (heterotrait–monotrait ratio of correlations). According to the Fornell–Larcker criterion, a construct is considered to have discriminant validity if its square root is greater than its correlation with other constructs [83]. Based on the results in

Table 3. Discriminant validity using the Fornell–Larcker criterion.

Construct	CC	C&SSB	ECO	ENVR	F&NF	GL&R	RV&C	SFPs	SOC
CC	0.853
C&SSB	0.408	0.847
ECO	0.432	0.550	0.885
ENVR	0.391	0.543	0.495	0.902
F&NF	0.341	0.382	0.465	0.477	0.819
GL&R	0.420	0.465	0.430	0.434	0.411	0.889
RV&C	0.396	0.590	0.521	0.414	0.423	0.328	0.853
SFPs	0.639	0.702	0.677	0.627	0.608	0.650	0.740	0.886
SOC	0.365	0.504	0.482	0.761	0.474	0.408	0.391	0.591	0.893

Note: AVE’s square root is represented by the bold diagonal values.

, it was observed that all latent constructs had diagonal bold numbers (representing the square root of AVE) that were higher than their correlations with other variables. This finding confirmed that discriminant validity was achieved for each construct.

Another technique employed to evaluate the discriminant validity of the constructs was the HTMT method, proposed by Henseler et al. [84]. According to this approach, values exceeding 0.85 indicate invalid discrimination.

Table 4. Discriminant validity using the HTMT measure.

Construct	CC	C&SSB	ECO	ENVR	F&NF	GL&R	RV&C	SFPs	SOC
CC
C&SSB	0.408
ECO	0.474	0.602
ENVR	0.444	0.616	0.613
F&NF	0.341	0.382	0.505	0.539
GL&R	0.420	0.465	0.470	0.492	0.411
RV&C	0.396	0.590	0.572	0.469	0.423	0.328
SFPs	0.690	0.720	0.778	0.748	0.649	0.695	0.776
SOC	0.414	0.571	0.597	0.810	0.537	0.463	0.443	0.705

Note: The HTMT values are less than 0.85.

presents the HTMT values between each pair of latent constructs, all of which were found to be lower than 0.85. This suggests that the constructs in this study can be confidently differentiated from one another.

4.3. Multicollinearity Statistics

To spot any potential multicollinearity concerns in the model, this study relied on VIF values. Hair et al. [76] suggested that a VIF score above three indicates multicollinearity and corrective actions should be considered to mitigate it. The findings outlined in

Table 5. Multicollinearity analysis based on the VIF value.

Construct	ECO	ENVR	SFP	SOC
CC			1.373
C&SSB			1.794
ECO
ENVR
F&NF			1.379
GL&R			1.475
RV&C			1.696
SFPs	1.000	1.000		1.000
SOC

Note: VIF values are lower than 3.0.

demonstrate that all variables examined in the study exhibit VIF values that are less than three. This indicates the absence of any significant multicollinearity-related issues and suggests a robust model.

4.4. The Effectiveness of the Structural Model

To assess the effectiveness of the structural model, several indicators were examined: R² for predictive power, Q²_predict for predictive relevance, and f² for effect size. R² indicates how much the independent variables can explain the dependent variable, with values of 0.75 considered strong, 0.50 considered moderate, and 0.25 considered weak [85,86]. Effect size, as measured by Cohen’s [87] criteria, determines the magnitude of the effect when an exogenous variable is removed from the model. A small effect size has an f² score of 0.02, a medium of 0.15, and a large one of 0.35. For predictive relevance, Q²_predict should be greater than zero for the endogenous constructs. The results in

Table 6. Structural model quality.

Construct	R2	Q2predict	f2
			SFPs	ECO	ENVR	SOC
CC			0.533
C&SSB			0.799
ECO	0.458	0.429
ENVR	0.394	0.377
F&NF			0.358
GL&R			0.415
RV&C			0.595
SFPs	0.937	0.935		0.844	0.649	0.536
SOC	0.349	0.335

showed R² values ranging from 0.349 to 0.937, indicating good predictive accuracy for endogenous constructs. The f² values for exogenous constructs ranged from 0.358 (large) for F&NF on SFPs to 0.844 (large) for SFPs on ECO, demonstrating good model adequacy. Finally, the Q²_predict values for endogenous constructs were higher than zero, indicating a promising predictive relevance for the model.

4.5. Testing the Study Hypotheses

The current research proposed a path model for testing various hypotheses that explore the influence of multiple factors on the promotion of SFPs in restaurants across Saudi Arabia. These factors include customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behaviors, governmental laws and regulations around sustainability, restaurants’ commitment to combat climate change, the financial and non-financial outcomes of adopting SFPs, restaurants’ values and culture toward sustainability and, further, to empirically examine the effect of promoting SFPs on restaurants’ economic, environmental, and social performance. To validate this study’s hypotheses, the researchers utilized the power of the PLS-SEM algorithm and bootstrapping on a subset of 5000 samples. This unique approach helped evaluate the path coefficient and establish the significance of correlations among constructs, as outlined in

Table 7. Structural model’s path estimates.

Hypothesized Path	Path Coefficient	T Statistics	Confidence Intervals		Result
			2.5%	97.5%
H1: C&SSB → SFPs	0.450 ***	19.985	0.405	0.494	Accepted
H2: GL&R → SFPs	0.196 ***	10.292	0.159	0.234	Accepted
H3: CC → SFPs	0.214 ***	11.708	0.179	0.250	Accepted
H4: F&NF → SFPs	0.176 ***	8.509	0.136	0.217	Accepted
H5: RV&C → SFPs	0.252 ***	11.000	0.207	0.297	Accepted
H6: SFPs → ECO	0.677 ***	20.823	0.610	0.737	Accepted
H7: SFPs → ENVR	0.627 ***	17.078	0.554	0.697	Accepted
H8: SFPs → SOC	0.591 ***	15.261	0.513	0.666	Accepted

Note: *** p < 0.001.

and Figure 2.

Regarding the relationships between study constructs, the results presented in Table 7 and Figure 2 indicate that all proposed paths between this study constructs were statistically significant and aligned with the hypotheses. The most influential factor that positively influenced the promotion of sustainable food practices (SFPs) in the investigated restaurants was customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behavior (β = 0.450, t-value = 19.985, p < 0.001), confirming H1. Additionally, governmental laws and regulations, as well as the commitment of restaurants to combat climate change, significantly contributed to promoting SFPs (β = 0.196, t-value = 10.292, p < 0.001, and β = 0.214, t-value = 11.708, p < 0.001), supporting H2 and H3, respectively. The influence of financial and non-financial outcomes resulting from the adoption of SFPs, as well as the values and culture of restaurants towards sustainability, were also found to be significant (β = 0.196, t-value = 10.292, p < 0.001 and β = 0.252, t-value = 11.000, p < 0.001). These results provide support for hypotheses 4 and 5.

In the context of the connection between promoting sustainable food practices (SFPs) and its effects on economic, environmental, and social performance, the results presented in Table 7 indicated that promoting SFPs was a highly significant predictor of enhancing a restaurant’s economic performance (β = 0.677, t-value = 20.823, p < 0.001), environmental performance (β = 0.627, t-value = 17.078, p < 0.001), and social performance (β = 0.51, t-value = 15.261, p < 0.001), respectively, confirming the acceptance of H6, H7, and H8.

5. Discussion and Implications

This study aims to empirically explore the impact of customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behaviors, governmental laws and regulations around sustainability, restaurants’ commitment to combat climate change, the financial and non-financial outcomes of adopting SFPs, restaurants’ values and culture toward sustainability promoting SFPs, and, further, to empirically examine the effect of promoting SFPs on restaurants’ economic, environmental, and social performance. Based on the results of hypotheses testing in the present study, several key findings can be discerned as follows.

The findings revealed that all the proposed paths were statistically significant and aligned with each hypothesis. Most notably, sustainable behavior demonstrated by customers and stakeholders was the most considerable factor positively affecting the promotion of SFPs in Saudi Arabian restaurants. This highlights the industry’s growing awareness and demand for sustainably sourced foods. This finding aligns with prior research indicating that customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behaviors play a critical role in driving the transition to a more sustainable food system [34,52,88,89,90]. For example, previous studies have shown that stakeholder engagement can benefit environmental sustainability commitment in the US restaurant industry [52] and that coercive and mimetic pressures promote green practices in Malaysian fast food restaurants [34].

Further, this study found that governmental laws and regulations around sustainability were significant in promoting SFPs, indicating the commitment of the government of Saudi Arabia to sustainability and its keenness to launch initiatives [91,92]. This is consistent with previous studies showing that regulations can drive the adoption of SFPs in restaurants by setting standards for sustainable sourcing and preparation, such as using locally grown and organic produce and promoting renewable energy and efficient waste management practices [37,38]. These findings also support research demonstrating that regulatory factors are critical external drivers affecting eco-friendly investment [17], and that environmental regulations significantly promote green innovative practices in the Pakistani industrial sector [93].

Moreover, this study highlighted the positive effect of restaurants’ commitment to combat climate change in promoting SFPs, echoing previous research. Despite restaurants’ negative impact on the environment through transportation, waste production, and energy and water consumption, many still strive to reduce their impact. This aligns with previous research (i.e., [10,11,16,49]) showing how top management’s dedication to reduction can lead to sustainable practices like efficient energy and water and recycling. However, contrary to the previous suggestion, Jang et al. [52] found that top management commitment did not significantly impact the use of sustainable food in US restaurants. Overall, this study implies the vital role of environmental pressure and responsibility to combat climate change in promoting SFPs [18,94].

Similarly, regarding the financial and non-financial benefits of adopting SFPs (F&NF), this study’s PLS-SEM analysis revealed that F&NF outcomes significantly impact restaurants’ promotion of SFPs, consistent with earlier research (i.e., [16,49,56]). For instance, a study on eco-friendly hotels in Saudi Arabia revealed that green investment was positively influenced by financial returns and efficiency gains, reinforcing the importance of financial incentives in promoting sustainability [17]. Additionally, this study’s findings align with Jang et al.’s [52] recommendation that restaurant businesses need to develop environmental strategies and drive sustainable practices to leverage sustainability’s financial and non-financial rewards. As a result, restaurants are more likely to prioritize SFPs when their financial and non-financial outcomes are higher.

In the context of the relationship between restaurants’ values and culture toward sustainability (RV&C) and the promotion of SFPs, results assured the considerable positive impact of RV&C on promoting SFPs, supporting the previous research. Embracing sustainability as a core value can lead restaurants to prioritize eco-friendly practices [16,49]. Official sustainability policies can also increase participation in eco-friendly practices and improve employee training and motivation. Training staff on sustainable practices can create a shared commitment to sustainability [52,95]. This study’s finding also aligns with previous research, showing that organizational values toward sustainability are powerful predictors in promoting environmental management [96]. However, contrary to previous findings, top managers’ beliefs did not significantly influence the use of sustainable food [10]. Overall, this study suggests that the stronger a restaurant’s commitment to sustainability in its values and culture, the more likely it is to promote and implement sustainable food practices.

Additionally, this study’s findings demonstrate that promoting SFPs emerged as a vital key predictor for enhancing restaurants’ economic, environmental, and social performance, respectively. In terms of economic performance, promoting SFPs significantly increased sales volume, profit margin, and market share while reducing operational costs. These findings align with previous studies by Perramon et al. [24], Tehrani et al. [31], Bagur-Femenías et al. [51], Jang et al. [52], and Nyamogosa and Obonyo [58]. For instance, Bagur-Femenías et al. [51] found that sustainability practices directly influenced companies’ financial growth, while Tehrani et al. [31] concluded that restaurant owners/managers believed SFPs improved their establishments’ financial performance, reputation, and customer attraction. Therefore, the more sustainable food practices are promoted, the better the economic performance of restaurants will be.

In the context of the promoting SFPs–environmental performance relationship, this study highlights the positive impact of promoting SFPs on improving restaurants’ environmental performance. This includes mitigating climate change and ecological degradation and reducing carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. These findings are consistent with previous findings, i.e., [17,24,54]. For instance, Abdou et al. [17] demonstrated how sustainable practices can help hotels reduce their carbon footprint and implement environmentally conscious policies. Similarly, Perramon et al. [24] found that incorporating green techniques in small Spanish restaurants significantly improves operational performance, minimizes environmental risks, and reduces resource consumption. In conclusion, prioritizing SFPs can greatly enhance restaurants’ ecological performance, yielding positive outcomes.

Finally, in terms of the promoting SFPs–social performance relationship, the findings of this research illustrated that enhancing restaurants’ social performance is significantly positively affected by promoting SFPs. These results support the findings of the prior study, which suggested that investing in promoting green/sustainable practices is the critical determinant of improving hotels’ social performance, including improving the quality of life, boosting the employment level and relationship with the local community, as well as increasing staff and guest social responsibility [17,97]. This study’s findings are consistent with Khachatryan’s [26] publication, highlighting how promoting SFPs supports local communities by backing local farmers and fostering sustainable economic development. Additionally, offering vegetarian and vegan options on restaurant menus reduces the environmental impact of meat production and encourages healthier lifestyles. As a result, it could be concluded that the greater the emphasis on SFPs, the higher the potential for improved social performance.

This study has several theoretical implications for sustainable food practices (SFPs) and the food service industry. Some of the possible implications are, firstly, that this study contributes to the literature on food sustainable supply chain management (FSSCM) by exploring the most influential factors that significantly contributed to promoting SFPs in the restaurant industry context. This study mainly focused on determining the significant role of each factor individually. It concluded that customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behaviors, followed by restaurants’ values and culture toward sustainability and their commitment to combat climate change, are key drivers of promoting SFPs in Saudi Arabian restaurants. These findings reinforced the earlier conclusions that demonstrated the role of these factors in adopting green practices in different contexts. Secondly, based on the study findings, the financial and non-financial outcomes of adopting SFPs and government sustainability regulations were the least influential factors in promoting SFPs. Hence, it could be suggested that while governmental rules and financial and non-financial benefits of adopting SFPs are essential, they may not necessarily be the primary motivators for restaurants to promote sustainable food practices. Instead, promoting SFPs may be driven by a commitment to social responsibility and a desire to reduce the impact of the food service industry on the environment.

Further, it is essential to note that the role of government in promoting SFPs may vary across different regions and may depend on the specific policies and initiatives implemented. Thirdly, this study’s findings demonstrated the considerable positive effect of promoting SFPs on improving restaurants’ economic, environmental, and social performance. These improvements also contribute to the richness of the literature review by providing an in-depth understanding of the role of SFPs in achieving restaurants’ sustainable performance. Finally, a new theoretical framework, including the factors and outcomes of promoting SFPs in the realm of the restaurant business, was created and tested. This could be a valuable tool for exploring other areas of the hospitality industry in the future.

Based on this study’s findings, several practical implications can be suggested to restaurant managers or owners to promote SFPs. They should consider adopting sustainable behaviors that their customers and stakeholders exemplify, such as reducing waste and using sustainable ingredients. Encouraging and rewarding sustainable behavior among customers and stakeholders by offering incentives, discounts, loyalty programs, recognition, feedback, etc., for choosing sustainable food options is also essential.

Restaurants’ managers and owners should also create and communicate a clear and consistent value and culture toward sustainability by developing a sustainability mission, vision, and strategy; aligning them with the restaurant’s goals and objectives; and sharing them with customers and stakeholders through various channels such as websites, social media, signage, etc. Restaurant managers and owners should also demonstrate a strong commitment to combat climate change by measuring and reporting their restaurant’s environmental impact, setting and achieving carbon reduction targets, implementing green practices and policies, joining or initiating climate action initiatives, etc.

It is also essential for restaurant managers and owners to comply with governmental laws and regulations related to sustainability, as they can significantly impact the food service industry’s overall sustainability efforts. They should stay informed about these regulations and strive to exceed their requirements wherever possible. By focusing on these factors, restaurant managers and owners could create a strong foundation for promoting SFPs in their restaurants, which leads to improved economic, environmental, and social performance.

Implementing these practices could help restaurants align with consumer demand for sustainable food options and contribute to a more sustainable future for the food service industry.

6. Conclusions and Limitations of This Study

The current study aimed to empirically investigate the key drivers of promoting SFPs in the Saudi Arabian restaurant industry context. This study also highlighted the importance of promoting such practices in enhancing the economic, environmental, and social performance of restaurants. To examine the relationships between this study’s constructs, a conceptual model was developed. Eight hypotheses, which explored the direct relationships between this study’s variables, were tested using PLS-SEM with bootstrapping. The findings of this study revealed that all proposed paths were significant and aligned with each hypothesis. Customers’ and stakeholders’ sustainable behaviors followed by the values and culture of restaurants related to sustainability, and the commitment of restaurants to combat climate change emerged as the most influential factors in positively affecting the promotion of sustainable food practices across the researched restaurants. Additionally, promoting SFPs was found to be a crucial predictor for enhancing the economic, environmental, and social performance of restaurants, respectively.

These findings contributed to enriching the literature on food sustainable supply chain management (FSSCM) by exploring the most influential factors that significantly contributed to promoting SFPs in the Saudi Arabian restaurant industry context. Also, this study’s findings emphasized the considerable positive effect of promoting SFPs on improving restaurants’ economic, environmental, and social performance. These improvements also contribute to the richness of the literature review by providing an in-depth understanding of the role of SFPs in achieving restaurants’ sustainable performance. Based on these findings, the restaurants’ owners and top managers should consider adopting sustainable behaviors that are exemplified by their customers and stakeholders as well as creating and communicating a clear and consistent value and culture toward sustainability by developing a sustainability mission, vision, and strategy, aligning them with the restaurant’s goals and objectives. In addition, restaurant managers and owners should demonstrate a strong commitment to combatting climate change. Implementing these practices could help restaurants align with consumer demand for sustainable food options and contribute to a more sustainable future for the food service industry.

The current study has a few limitations that need to be acknowledged. Firstly, it is essential to recognize that this study’s focus on the Saudi Arabian restaurants interested in promoting SFPs may hinder the generalization of the findings to other populations and nations. Therefore, future research could benefit from conducting comparative studies with a larger and more diverse sample size to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the determinants and consequences of promoting SFPs across different contexts [98,99]. Secondly, the data collection method relied on subjective viewpoints. The data collection method employed in this study involved participants filling out an online questionnaire based on their subjective views, so further studies need to consider this limitation. Mixed-method approaches (qualitative and quantitative) may provide a deeper understanding and richer insights. By leveraging the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative methods, researchers can overcome individual limitations, gain deeper insights, and achieve a more comprehensive and robust understanding of their research topic [100,101]. Thirdly, this study should have considered variations in restaurant ownership and type when analyzing the promotion of SFPs. This study did not consider whether the restaurants were independent or part of a chain and the specific type of restaurant (e.g., fine dining, casual dining, quick service restaurants, etc.). It would be beneficial to conduct comparative research that includes these variables, providing valuable insights. Fourthly, this study did not take into account potential mediating variables. Although it examined the direct influence of SFPs on restaurant sustainable performance, underlying factors such as green creativity, green organizational identity, and green intellectual capital could uncover indirect relationships between SFPs and restaurant performance. Researchers can develop more accurate predictive models by considering these variables as mediators. These variables serve as critical predictors of performance outcomes and can contribute to developing robust frameworks for evaluating the effectiveness of sustainable food practices [102,103,104].