Some restaurants have been providing information on the carbon emissions of their menus in addition to the ingredients, seasonality, and even calorie content. This might influence diners to select eco-friendly menu items.

There are two labels next to each menu item at a well-known chain of Mexican restaurants in the UK: one shows the calories, and the other tells you of the food’s carbon footprint. Thomasina Miers, who started the chain of restaurants after winning a UK television cooking talent contest, asserts that calorie counting is not the most accurate method of determining how nutritious or environmentally friendly food is. She stated that in order to provide customers with clear information about their selections, the restaurant implemented carbon labeling. This teaches people about the power they hold when choosing what to eat. A sweet potato burrito is an example of a “low-carbon” food due to its CO2e (or “CO2 equivalent”) level of 0.6 kg or less. A grilled chicken club quesadilla falls under the category of “medium-carbon” food (with a carbon footprint of between 0.6 kg and 1.6 kg of CO2e). Any dish with a higher carbon footprint is referred to as “high-carbon” (3.04 kg CO2e), such as a chargrilled beef burrito.

Miers explains that although carbon labels only provide us with limited information, they are an effective tool for encouraging customers to think about how their dietary choices affect the environment.