Eren Dana
Veruska Stepenka
Evelyn Wong
Loyola Marymount University
Ingrid Greene
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Tender Greens was an innovation in the dining industry, where it differentiated itself from restaurants and fast food chains that were well known to the public. The company positioned itself between fast-food and fine-dining, and dedicated itself to the complete dining experience: serving quality food made from the best ingredients, in beautiful areas accompanied by great music.
The company was dedicated to serving quality food made from the best ingredients, through a simplified and therefore lower cost business model, and investing in the community through an internship program for vulnerable young people. In line with SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, Tender Greens business model proved a success.
David and his partners wanted to start a restaurant where they could serve high-quality food in a cafeteria style and differentiate themselves as a restaurant between fast-food and fine dining. Tender Greens was founded in 2006 with an innovative concept giving David and his partners first-mover advantage. Bringing food to more people at a reasonable price so customers wouldn’t mind waiting in line, getting their food on a tray, and not making a reservation or not paying more than $20 for their food. Tender Greens’ fresh concept also inspired the rest of the food industry and more successful businesses with similar concepts started surfacing.
The heart of Tender Greens' mission is to bring more great food to more people. In itself this represents a commitment to democratizing good food and making it available to a market beyond the wealthy. Dressler and his partners wanted to create a business where their employees wanted to work at, creating opportunities for people to grow and create long-lasting, influential careers. Long before Tender Greens had a mission statement, creating restaurants that customers, employees, vendors, and investors loved was at the core. Dressler and his partners began distilling those values of love, communication, and growth into a mission and operating techniques. Eventually, founding a business that when everyone came in contact with they would fall in love, feel like winners, and be valued.
The SDG goal of decent work and economic growth has been a crucial aspect of Tender Greens since it was founded and is still shaping the company. Tender Greens decided early on to help people even at an entry-level position live better lives and where emotional intelligence training could help coach employees to manage their work and personal lives. Additionally, an internship program enabling fostered young people to learn new skills in the kitchen and with basic food preparation, preparing them for full-time job.
Tender Greens’ business model aligns with the SDGs of responsible consumption and production. Early on, using repurposed materials in the construction of their restaurants was important. In the building, repurposed wood, carpets made from recycled tires, and pillowcases made from recycled bottles were a part of Tender Greens' signature. In terms of cleaning products, they were the least toxic possible because they were committed to having the least impact on the environment. On a social level, Tender Greens decided to be the kind of business that invested in supplier relations to bring great food to more people. They believed in creating long-lasting relationships that would be beneficial to the restaurant, suppliers, and customers.
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David Dressler, Co-Founder
David Dressler is one of the co-founders of Tender Greens along with his two business partners. They decided to start Tender Greens in 2006 and the company has always been dedicated to sustainability. Through efforts such as their Sustainable Life Project and use of repurposed materials throughout their locations, Tender Greens has been continuously contributing to sustainable development and select UN Global Goals: decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), industry, innovation, and infrastructure (SDG 9) and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). Tender Greens is a stellar example of an innovative business having an impact on the way people eat and the food industry.
