April 10th, 2024
Over 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each year globally along the entire food supply chain. This staggering number represents 13.8% of global food production with food services contributing about 26% of all food waste.
Restaurants account for about 338 million tons of food waste globally each year which ranks second behind households that contribute 793 million tons of food waste. However, food wasted by restaurants varies significantly between countries and regions with multiple factors affecting these numbers.
This report will outline key statistics related to restaurant food waste across different countries and restaurant segments.
According to the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS), food waste is defined as “food discarded by retailers due to color or appearance and plate waste by consumers.” Even Food unfinished food on a plate and food scraps from preparing a meal count as food waste. The range for food wasted by restaurants in US is between 22 and 33 billion pounds every year.
According to NPR, about 15% of all food that ends up landfills is generated by restaurants in the United States.
Whether its improper storing, delayed delivery or food waste during meal preparation, all are contributing to 4-10% or up to 3.3 billion pounds of food wasted by restaurants prior to reaching consumers.
On average diners leave 17% of their meals uneaten which directly correlates to the increase portion sizes over the last 30 years.
US restaurants rank number one in terms of total food waste generated compared to any other country’s restaurants with up to 33 billion pounds of food wast every year.
With about 35 million tons of food waste in Canada, restaurants contribute about 9% or 4.5 millions tons of food waste annually.
With a total of $49 billion worth of food wasted in Canada, food wastes costs Canadian restaurants $4.4 billion every year.
According to Council of Ontario, Ontario restaurants produce up to 220,000 tons of food waste annually.
Restaurants in Quebec, Alberta and British Columbia produce in excess of 100,000 tons of food waste annually.
Based on a total of 338 million tons of food wasted by restaurants globally each year, the cost of food waste for restaurants globally is about $170 billion annually.
A single location restaurants can produce between 25,000-75,000 pounds of food waste every year.
Besides over serving and spoilage, common types of food waste in restaurants include food preparation waste, expiration, uneaten food and inventory mismanagement.
Common reasons that cause restaurants to waste food are overproduction, lack of employee training, improper storage, lack of access to composting facilities and limited awareness by restaurant managers.
Since excess food can not be reused or donated according to food regulations, all you can eat buffets are forced to throw a lot of food out as well as keep extra food on hand to meet demand which makes these types of restaurants as one of the highest food waster in the industry.
The amount of food wasted by restaurants underscores the urgent need for systemic change within the food industry. From over-portioning to inadequate inventory management, various factors contribute to this pervasive issue. Innovative solutions such as donation programs, menu optimization, and composting initiatives offer promising avenues for reducing waste and fostering a more sustainable food system.
By adopting these strategies and fostering a culture of conscientious consumption, restaurants can not only minimize their environmental impact but also save costs and contribute to the broader effort of combating food insecurity.
Restaurants account for about 26% of all food waste or about 338 million tons of food waste each year.
Food waste costs restaurants up to $170 billion globally each year.
Canadian restaurants account for about 9% of all food waste in Canada or 3.2 million tons each year.
US restaurants waste up to 33 billion pounds of food every year.