Reducing food waste in your restaurant is both good for the planet and your bottom line. In London especially, where business rates, labour and ingredient costs are high, efficient restaurant waste management is essential. Start with precise inventory control: track what you order, what you use and what spoils. Train kitchen and front-of-house staff in portion control and waste-aware prep methods. Use menu engineering, offer smaller portions, specials that make use of surplus stock, and flexible menus that adapt to seasonal supply. Implement donation partnerships for edible surplus, and segregate waste streams so that unavoidable food waste is composted or processed rather than sent to landfill. Finally, review waste data regularly and set targets for reductions—good restaurant waste management in London includes measurement, continual improvement and compliance with local regulations.
On average, restaurants in the UK generate a considerable amount of food waste. The sector produces nearly 200,000 tonnes of food waste per year, spoilage, preparation waste, plate leftovers combined. Many restaurants lose between 4-10% of the food they purchase before it even reaches a customer. From plate waste, spoilage, and prep, the cost to the industry is roughly £682 million annually. For a typical restaurant in London, that means food waste can quietly eat into margins unless strong restaurant waste management practices are in place.
Calculating your restaurant’s food waste percentage is a strategic step in implementing effective restaurant waste management in London. First, over a fixed period (e.g. one week or one month), measure total food purchases (by weight or cost) and total food waste (all waste streams: prep scraps, spoilage, leftovers). Use consistent weighing or cost-tracking systems. Then apply the formula:
Food Waste Percentage = (Weight or Cost of Food Waste ÷ Total Food Purchases) × 100%.
This gives you a percentage you can aim to reduce. For better insight, break that waste down by category (prep, spoilage, plate waste) so you know where to act first. Monitoring trends week by week lets you see if measures are working. For London restaurants, integrating food waste percentage tracking into your waste contract or using dedicated restaurant waste management tools will help ensure compliance, cost-efficiency, and environmental benefit.