How to reduce food waste in restaurants: Strategies that save money and the planet

4 tips to reduce food waste in restaurants

With a few strategic changes, restaurants can significantly cut down on waste while improving efficiency and sustainability. Here are four practical tips to help reduce food waste in your establishment.

1. 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.

2. Track food waste daily 

Logging waste might feel like a chore, but it’s a critical first step toward reducing it. Start by tracking waste in key categories:

• Spoilage – ingredients that go bad before they’re used
• Prep waste – excess trimming or mistakes during food prep
• Plate waste – food left uneaten by customers
• Theft or misuse – intentional or accidental loss of inventory

By consistently tracking these areas, you’ll begin to spot patterns—giving you the insight needed to make smarter purchasing decisions, improve prep routines, and train staff more effectively.

3. Use technology to your advantage 

Tools like TotalCtrl let restaurants log waste directly within their inventory system, making the process faster and more effective. This means:

• No more clunky spreadsheets or messy clipboards
• Real-time insights into where and why waste is happening
• The ability to connect waste data with inventory and sales for smarter decision-making

With everything in one system, it’s easier to take action—and see results.

4. Optimize operations using waste data 

Once you start collecting data, turn insights into action:

• Redesign menu items – Get creative with offcuts and surplus ingredients to minimize waste and add value.
• Recalculate prep amounts – Base prep volumes on real sales data, not assumptions, to avoid overproduction.
• Train your team – Emphasize portion control, efficient prep techniques, and a waste-conscious mindset in daily operations.

Small changes, guided by data, can lead to big savings and a more sustainable kitchen.

Read more about our Impact Reporting Tool here.

Additional ways to reduce food waste in restaurants 

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.