Seventeen percent of surplus food in the United States comes from operators like you, leading to lost revenue and higher expenses. Reducing food waste isn’t just eco-friendly it’s smart business, and practical strategies are crucial for smooth operations.
Challenges in reducing food waste are inevitable, and overproduction remains a significant hurdle. Batching is efficient, yet it often leads to overproducing. The best way to keep this in check is forecasting. Use historical sales data to predict demand more accurately and adjust production accordingly. As an operator we may think that we know our customers better than any computer. However, looking into your sales data may provide insights you hadn’t considered before. You’re paying for the technology; utilize every piece of data it can provide to better serve your customers and keep extraneous food production in check!
Keeping an eye on profits while balancing the ever-growing demand for sustainability is not necessarily mutually exclusive, as many operators are finding. Did you know that approximately 67% of operators see an increase in profitability through waste reduction alone? Moreover, sustainability practices attract customers. While it may seem that diners are indifferent, studies show that 36% of customers notice these efforts.
Consider the impact that commitment to sustainability can have on your brand. You can position your operation as a leader in the industry and not only enhance your reputation but also serve as a unique selling point to attract those eco-conscious diners.
The easiest place to start is inventory rotation (never forget FIFO) and staff training. Well-trained staff can cut waste by up to 50% and making sure older stock of product is used before newer items can lead to a 61% reduction in waste.
Have you considered the labor and materials it costs to scrub your steamtable and other heavy duty pans? Our friends at FoodHandler have!
labor cleaning time/pan 3 mins.
x (hourly wage $15.00/60 mins. + 25% labor benefit) 31¢/min.
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savings per pan 94¢
x number of pans per day 50 x 365 days
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labor savings per year $17,109
FoodHandler provides innovative PanPals® High Heat Liners that reduce the risk of cross contamination while saving labor costs, simplifying clean up and improving HACCP compliance by keeping grease out of the drains. Increase profits, food safety and HACCP compliance with PanPals High Heat Pan Liners and oven bags. Made from nylon, they can withstand temperatures from -70ºF to 400ºF and come in sizes to fit anything from soup kettles to full size hotel pans! Reduce cleaning time, water use and keep grease and food from clogging drains!
Some other simple steps to tackling money that gets tossed out with waste? Integrate waste tracking into your operation’s daily routines with written waste logs or audits. Don’t pull all of this on one person but make it a part of everyone’s role. This will keep any one team member from becoming overwhelmed and make a visual impact on everyone who records instances of food waste as it happens. Then, listen to your team’s ideas on how to further reduce waste!
Browse our catalogue for more inspiration for a fresh start to 2026!
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