The kitchen is a place to measure

The challenge

Food purchasing, preparation and service connect guest demand to waste. Recording what is discarded and why can help operators investigate forecasting, portioning and stock management.

What the number does—and does not—say

This is the food-service share of global retail and consumer-level food waste, including inedible parts. It does not mean that every restaurant wastes 28% of its purchases, and is not specific to hotels.

A question worth investigating

How much waste comes from preparation, unsold food and plate returns in a particular operation?

Labs research direction: start with a defined population and location, review the source methodology, and validate assumptions with people working in the sector. This question is our interpretation; the statistic alone does not establish causes or prove a particular solution.