Creative ideas for cutting food waste

Unfortunately, food waste is ubiquitous with the restaurant industry. Some estimates suggest that each year billions of pounds of food are wasted in the US alone, leading to tremendous financial loss and food insecurity. If you find yourself at the end of a shift with an excess of food, here are some creative ideas to put that food to good use.

Offer a closing-time buffet

Your restaurant may not be a buffet by day, but you can change it up come closing time. If you find yourself with a surplus of cooked goods and uncooked produce, consider offering a closing-time buffet. Before you close, allow customers to pay a small fee to fill a to-go box with the leftover food or unused produce. Food is consumed, and you can still generate a small profit off of the program. In addition to this, low costs will help reduce food insecurity in your community.

Repurpose for dogs

A sous chef in Wisconsin came up with a great way to combat food waste - save scraps for the dogs, literally! Sandy Thompson works at the University of Wisconsin, and began saving dog-safe scraps, like turkey bacon, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal to create dog treats. When she has 16 quarts worth of scraps, she combines her ingredients to make dog treats, which are then donated to her local humane society. This can be a great way to reduce waste, and give back to your community at the same time. Plus, if you’re dog-friendly, you can even begin to offer doggy treats as a complementary perk like bread for humans, or as a menu item.

Chopping prices to reduce waste
In Toronto, chef Ashley MacNeil has devised a plan to reduce food waste in her restaurant. Each Sunday, she offers a special where she cuts prices and offers specials that change hourly. As an added bonus, she offers reduced cost glasses of wine and sells her food until her leftovers are gone. Because the restaurant is closed three days of the week, this is her way of ensuring no food is left in the refrigerator to waste on days when she is closed. She still turns a profit, but also creates a very popular experience for guests that is shared through word of mouth.

If you’d like help marketing your strategy for combating food waste, Sherane Chen LLC is here to help! Contact us today or call (386) 627-3628 for a consultation!