Fast-Food Franchises Celebrate the Planet with Cost-Saving Specials, Environmentally Friendly Ingredients
Earth Day on April 22 commemorates the birth of the modern environmental movement, bringing attention to sustainability and conservation. The idea for the first Earth Day in 1970 came from Gaylord Nelson, a passionate environmentalist who served as a U.S. senator from Wisconsin. Nelson had been concerned by continued degradation of water and air quality. Like many Americans, he was outraged by the devastation caused by a massive oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara, Calif., in 1969, which inspired him to take action.
Nelson, a Democrat, enlisted help from Pete McCloskey, a conservation-minded Republican congressman from California, and activist Denis Hayes, then a Harvard graduate student, to organize environmentally focused “teach-ins” on college campuses. Their activism gained national media attention and grassroots support, leading to the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, which drew an estimated 20 million demonstrators around the country.
The impact of the first Earth Day has continued to reverberate. For example, it led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of environmental legislation including the National Environmental Education Act, Occupational Safety and Health Act and Clean Air Act.
Fast-Food Franchises and Sustainability
Increasing environmental awareness has prompted restaurant franchises to do their part for the planet by launching initiatives aimed at increasing sustainability practices, and reducing waste and energy consumption, among others. Fast-food giants making strides toward greater sustainability include Yum! Brands, the parent company of KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and others; Restaurant Brands International, which owns brands including Burger King, Tim Hortons, Firehouse Subs and Popeyes; as well as McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s.
Franchisors also go green – and save customers some green – by offering deals and discounts celebrating Earth Day. Read on for a small compilation of fast-food brands participating in the Earth-centric holiday.
Earth Day 2025: Best Restaurant Deals and Discounts
Clean Juice
Clean Juice is known as the first and only USDA-certified organic juice bar with fresh-pressed juices that contain no additives, preservatives or fillers. To do its part for Earth Day, the juice bar franchise has an exclusively online offer: Guests get a free 12-ounce fresh-pressed juice with any $10 purchase on April 22 through Clean Juice’s app.
Dog Haus
Dog Haus is rewarding loyalty members who order through the app on April 22 with double points. The hot dog franchise uses hormone-free, antibiotic-free, humanely raised proteins in its food, and supports responsible farming practices that help reduce environmental impact.
Mountain Mike’s Pizza
Mountain Mike’s Pizza, a leading family-style pizza franchise, is commemorating Earth Day with a great deal. Guests get $8 off two large pizzas on April 22 with code 8LGOK25.
Yogurtland
Yogurtland is allowing customers to get their hands (and spoons) dirty this Earth Day with its sweetest scoop yet! On April 22 only, the ice cream franchise is offering an exclusively online buy-one-get-one (BOGO) deal on the Dirt Cup creation with the promo code EARTHDAY. This sweet treat features chocolate frozen yogurt, cookies and cream crumbles, and sour gummy worms.
