How do I check a restaurant’s food waste before buying?

Ask whether the restaurant keeps a waste log, even an informal one. Any record of spoilage, over-prep or returned dishes is useful. If nothing is recorded, ask the chef or kitchen manager to describe it and compare the answer to what you see. Have your accountant compare food purchases with food sales over a long stretch. Costs that run high against sales can mean over-ordering, theft, big portions or spoilage. Ask the seller to explain any gap.

Spend time in the kitchen with permission. Look at the walk-in and dry storage: are items dated, rotated and stored properly? Look at the trash, too. Ask how the kitchen reuses trim, handles leftovers and sets daily prep amounts. Food safety practice is closely linked to waste, and your advisers or the food inspection authority can tell you what a business must keep on record. Ask the staff what changes they would make. Their answers show whether waste is a habit or a one-off. Ask what the seller would do differently if they stayed. A candid answer about ordering mistakes is a useful sign of an honest seller.

Key takeaways

• Ask for any waste or spoilage log the kitchen keeps.
• Compare food purchases to food sales over a long period.
• Inspect storage for dating, rotation and labelling.
• Ask the cooks what gets thrown out most often.