Reducing Restaurant food waste

[JIMMY12345]

We all normally go to a restaurant order and the food is cooked and comes in 20 minutes while sipping a drink.

The restaurant has to stock food not all will be used (if fresh)
The chef and staff are under immense pressure to serve food as people come in.
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Why is pre ordering and prepayment not encouraged using on line menu's. This could be one or two days in advance.The restaurant could offer a discount of 10% getting more customers. They can pay for the 10% discount by the reduced food waste and preplanning and preparation of food.

Some will still want a walk in service but they will get a better service as less staff pressure. Although they will have to pay the full amount.

A small green measure multiplied over will have a big impact

 

[exchemist]

We all normally go to a restaurant order and the food is cooked and comes in 20 minutes while sipping a drink.

The restaurant has to stock food not all will be used (if fresh)
The chef and staff are under immense pressure to serve food as people come in.
**********************************
Why is pre ordering and prepayment not encouraged using on line menu's. This could be one or two days in advance.The restaurant could offer a discount of 10% getting more customers. They can pay for the 10% discount by the reduced food waste and preplanning and preparation of food.

Some will still want a walk in service but they will get a better service as less staff pressure. Although they will have to pay the full amount.

A small green measure multiplied over will have a big impact

I think this is an excellent idea and I’m actually surprised nobody has tried it. But perhaps they have.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

It's an interesting suggestion. Do you have any information concerning the percentage of waste resulting from unordered food as opposed to uneaten food?

 

[sun rise]

Every little bit helps.

There is a federal law that removes a lot of the risk of donating food as long as certain basic standards are met ReFED | Rethink Food Waste - food rescue organizations such as White Pony Express in Contra Costa County, CA rely on that law.

 

[Shaul]

Because the economics of restaurants doesn't work that way. Restaurants respond to the market place. The priority of their customers are food quality, price and dining experience. Any customer concern about waste is an afterthought for them and a lower priority. Yes, restaurants should be more efficient. Yes, that would help their bottom line. But that is their concern, not the customers.

 

[exchemist]

Because the economics of restaurants doesn't work that way. Restaurants respond to the market place. The priority of their customers are food quality, price and dining experience. Any customer concern about waste is an afterthought for them and a lower priority. Yes, restaurants should be more efficient. Yes, that would help their bottom line. But that is their concern, not the customers.

But there is a thing in marketing called market segmentation. You can't appeal to the whole market, so you identify the segments you can appeal to. There will be a market segment for whom a price reduction, combined with a feel-good factor regarding waste will appeal, especially if the food is really good. The idea of pre-ordering off a published menu 24hrs ahead is not so daft, especially since most restaurant bookings are done on-line anyway. The question is whether this market segment is large enough and can be effectively reached by a suitable enterprising restaurateur.

 

[exchemist]

Here are some stats from the UK on the makeup of restaurant food waste: How to reduce and manage food waste in your restaurant

It seems that indeed "preparation" is the largest contributor, suggesting that @JIMMY12345 's idea could indeed be worth pursuing.

 

[Angelical]

We might need to start doing like Communities, like whole Communities that shift things. Like, you might get a House, but “Over there is where we started with the Earthships, putting in all the Electricity and building the Houses”. Like Freemason Lodge type stuff, like ACE Hardware sometimes has a Lodge, or maybe you could word it the other way, like sometimes the Lodge has an ACE Store.

 

[JIMMY12345]

It's an interesting suggestion. Do you have any information concerning the percentage of waste resulting from unordered food as opposed to uneaten food?

Sorry accurate scientific research seems to be lacking. Ex chemist will find me out and hunt me down if I produce reams of data (totally fabricated) backing my hypothesis. All I can offer is a percentage will go for it. This is all it needs.