By Yi Whan-woo
Popeye’s, a global fried chicken franchise, has a 92.7 percent rate for recycling disposable cups, the highest among 13 franchise stores that have taken part in a campaign to use less plastic products, according to the Ministry of Environment said Tuesday.
In research conducted between January and June, it added that Angel-in-us-Coffee, a local coffee shop brand, marked 91 percent, the fourth highest and the top among six brands in the same industry. The 13 participants are where a large number of people from different age groups go for food and snacks.
Five of them were fast-food franchises, including Lotteria, a local hamburger restaurant that marked 92.6 percent. Three others had a ratio at or over 90 percent: Burger King with 91.5 percent, Kentucky Fried Chicken with 90.7 percent and McDonalds with 90 percent.
The ministry said the reason was because a large number of fast-food franchise customers eat there and put disposable cups in the trash cans located inside the restaurants.
“That really helps to recycle the disposable cups,” an official said.
He added that it was “impressive” that Angel-in-us-Coffee had a high recycling rate compared to the five other coffee shop brands. Twosome Place, also a local brand, had a ratio of 73.6 percent; Pascucci had 52 percent; Starbucks, 50.4 percent; Hollys, 46.2 percent; and Coffee Bean, a U.S brand, came last with 36.1 percent.
“Those stores usually have a low recycling rate as their customers take out rather than drink inside the stores,” an official said.
Dunkin’ Donuts, a U.S-based store recycled at 50.1 percent, and Baskin Robbins, an ice cream franchise, 50.2 percent.