MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis, April 23,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S restaurant owners have
admitted to losing up to $500 a week,
totalling $26,000 per restaurant each
year, alarmingly, in new research by Alto-Shaam, commercial kitchen
equipment innovator. Moreover, almost a fifth (16%) of restaurant
owners are sacrificing substantial losses above the reported
median, at over $20,800 annually per
restaurant.
In the survey where 57% of operators estimated that they throw
out between 100-500lbs of food in an average week, restauranteurs
shared the top reasons for food waste*: 1. customer plate waste
(54%), 2. spoilage of fresh food that has a short shelf life,
(49%), 3. demand fluctuations (48%), 4. inaccurate portioning
(38%), and 5. inconsistent cooking causing burnt or unusable
products (36%).
For large food chains, some of which have over 40,000
restaurants across America, these losses could amount to between
six hundred million and one billion
dollars each year.
This highlights the urgent areas of operation, from customer
behaviour to kitchen responsibilities, that restaurant owners and
managers should look to examine and therefore adjust.
Currently, 83% of commercial restaurant owners and purchasing
decision-makers in the U.S. are either exploring or already
implementing strategies to reduce food waste in their kitchens.
With the most common initiatives currently being prioritized**:
- Employee training – 44%
- Creative use of leftovers – 40%
- Food waste tracking software – 37%
- Sustainable sourcing – 36%
- Regular menu audits – 35%
A Recycle Track Systems report found the restaurant industry
spends an estimated $162 billion
every year in costs related to wasted food. As the hospitality
industry continues to struggle financially, this further highlights
an opportunity for American restaurants to be making savings from
revised food waste reduction strategies.
Lucy McQuillan, President of
Alto-Shaam comments, "It's great to see most restaurants are taking
commendable steps to implement strategies aimed at reducing food
waste, while navigating the complexities of our current tough and
unpredictable economy."
"However, our research shows that foodservice equipment itself
could help accelerate operators' waste reduction goals. It is
crucial that leaders of our industry consider innovative ways to
help operators reduce their food waste, allowing them to
financially benefit from such strategies and therefore better
navigate the challenging economic conditions currently being
faced."
To read Alto-Shaam's full report and discover professionally
recommended methods to reduce food waste and improve profitability,
visit:
https://www.alto-shaam.com/en/about-us/news/less-waste-more-speed
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SOURCE Alto-Shaam