On the Line / Industry News / New Study Finds Restaurant Food Waste Amounts to $2 Billion in Lost Profits

New Study Finds Restaurant Food Waste Amounts to $2 Billion in Lost Profits

Restaurants are leaving approximately $2 billion in profits on the table as a result of food waste. Learn more about the food waste crisis, how it's impacting restaurants, and ways your restaurant can reduce food waste.

Food waste

DISCLAIMER: This content is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal, accounting, tax, HR, or other professional advice. You are responsible for your own compliance with laws and regulations. You should contact your attorney or other relevant advisor for advice specific to your circumstances.

Food waste is a huge problem in America.

With the restaurant industry shedding $162 billion annually in food waste costs according to the USDA and 42 million Americans coping with food insecurity according to the USDA and Feeding America, something isn’t working.

For restaurants, food waste disrupts their bottom line in big ways.

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Are Your Restaurant's Food Costs Too High? Use Toast's Free Food Cost Calculator To Find Out

The team at ChefHero recently conducted a study to get at the core of food waste and it's impact on restaurants. The good news is that restaurants can really reduce their food waste footprint in ways that positively impact their customers, the environment, and their profit margins. With food costs estimated at 28-35 percent of restaurant sales according to ReFED, tackling food waste can make a difference.

Read on to learn about the food waste crisis, how it's impacting restaurant operations around the country, how inventory technology can help and ways restaurants can make a difference.

For actionable insights and additional restaurant food waste resources, be sure to check out these articles from Toast:


ChefHero Food waste study


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