Food waste is one of the biggest unseen expenses in the restaurant industry. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), between 30% to 40% of the food supply in the U.S. is wasted, with restaurants accounting for a significant share of that waste. Matter of fact, other studies show that restaurants can waste between 4% to 10% of the food they purchase. This not only eats into your bottom line, but it also contributes to environmental harm. The good news? With the right strategies and systems, you can significantly reduce food waste in restaurants and increase profitability!
Why reducing restaurant food waste is importantÂ
Food waste in restaurants is both a financial and environmental issue. According to WRAP, the hospitality sector generates 1.1 million tonnes of food waste every year, with over 75% of that waste being avoidable. Much of this food is perfectly edible, meaning restaurants are essentially throwing away money. The cost of food waste to the hospitality industry is estimated at £3.2 billion annually, or roughly £10,000 per outlet!
Environmentally, when food waste ends up in landfills, it decomposes and produces methane—a greenhouse gas with over 80 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.Â
Additionally, wasting food means squandering all the resources that went into producing it: water, land, energy, and labor. The water footprint alone of annual UK food waste equals approximately 5.4 billion cubic meters.
Where food waste happensÂ
Before you can reduce waste, you need to understand where it’s coming from. The most common sources of food waste in restaurants include:
- Overstocking or over-prepping: Buying or preparing more than you need leads to spoilage.
- Poor storage practices: Improperly stored food expires faster.
- Inconsistent portion sizes: Too-large servings mean more plate waste.
- Prep waste: Trimmings, peels, and unused offcuts often go straight to the trash.
- Menu design flaws: Dishes with unique, rarely used ingredients can increase spoilage.
Want to delve more into the topic of food waste? Check out our podcast-episode on Preventing food waste with the Country Manager at Too Good To Go!
4 tips to reduce food waste for restaurants
Organize your walk-in to minimize waste
Your walk-in cooler is ground zero for food waste prevention. Here are best practices to ensure it supports your waste-reduction goals:
- Label everything: Include clear dates and item names.
- Rotate stock (FIFO): First in, first out. Teach your team to always use the oldest stock first.
- Group similar items: Makes it easier to find what you need and prevents over-ordering.
- Separate raw and cooked items: Avoid contamination and make better use of space.
- Set a weekly “walk-in check”: Assign staff to clean, consolidate, and log items nearing expiry.
Track food waste dailyÂ
Logging waste might feel like a chore, but it’s the first step toward eliminating it. Start tracking in these categories:
- Spoilage
- Prep waste
- Plate waste
- Theft or misuse
Over time, you’ll identify patterns that reveal what needs to change.
Use technology to your advantageÂ
Tools like TotalCtrl allow restaurants to log waste directly within their inventory system. That means:
- No more spreadsheets or clipboards.
- Real-time insights into what’s being wasted.
- Ability to match waste with inventory and sales data.
Optimize operations using waste dataÂ
Once you start collecting data, act on it:
- Redesign menu items: Use offcuts creatively to minimize waste.
- Recalculate prep amounts: Adjust based on actual sales, not guesses.
- Train staff: Focus on portion control and proper prep techniques.
Additional ways to reduce food waste in restaurantsÂ
Here are more cost-effective and sustainable strategies to reduce waste:
- Offer flexible portion sizes: Let customers choose smaller portions to reduce plate waste.
- Donate excess food: Partner with local food banks or charities to repurpose unsold meals.
- Repurpose ingredients: Use trimmings creatively (e.g., bread into croutons, peels for stocks).
- Use seasonal ingredients: Reduces cost and spoilage while supporting local producers.
- Educate your staff: Train employees to recognize expiration labels, prep efficiently, and store correctly.
- Offer staff meals: Reduce waste and boost morale by using surplus to feed your team.
- Encourage takeaway: Provide eco-friendly containers so guests can bring home leftovers.
- Compost food scraps: Divert unavoidable waste from landfills when donation isn’t possible.
ConclusionÂ
Food waste isn’t just a kitchen issue—it’s a business opportunity. By organizing your storage, tracking waste, and using smart tools like TotalCtrl, you can cut waste dramatically, save money, and run a more sustainable operation.
Turn your food waste into cost savings. Get started with TotalCtrl and take control of your kitchen today!
