How does temperature affect greenhouse gas emissions from food consumption in restaurants?

The influence of weather and on human behavior and business activities is a recurring theme in marketing literature. This study investigated the mechanisms through which temperature affects food consumption in restaurants and the associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Drawing on an extensive dataset from a leading restaurant chain in China, we analyzed approximately nine million transactions from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2021. Our findings highlight a U-shaped correlation between external temperature and GHG emissions resulting from food consumption in restaurants. Interestingly, consumer mood, influenced by temperature, follows an inverted U-shaped trajectory. Delving further, we discovered that deteriorating consumer mood significantly elevated GHG emissions from food consumption in restaurants. Such findings underscore a concerning feedback loop: extreme temperatures exacerbate unhealthy food choices driven by mood disturbances, which in turn amplify GHG emissions—creating a detrimental cycle that benefits neither health nor the environment.