Apart from redistributing leftovers, my café has adopted practices like using leftovers in dishes we serve. Wait, using leftovers in cafés? Yes, that’s right. It’s common for us to keep and consume leftovers at home. Out of 19 friends and relatives surveyed, majority of them have the habit of doing so (Figure 1).
Figure 1
But, what do people think of leftovers being used at cafés? Though it sounds like a good idea to reduce food waste to me, it is worth finding out consumers’ thoughts on this. As such, I’ve sent out a survey to 19 friends and relatives to find out their perceptions on using leftovers at cafés.
And here’s what I found:
No to leftovers
As I’ve thought, when asked if they would accept that cafés or restaurants sell leftovers, close to 80% of the respondents said ‘No’ (Figure 2).
Figure 2
Their responses were mainly due to the expectations they had, price and safety. Most of us do have expectations of getting freshly cooked food at restaurants or cafés, especially if we are paying to get them. One of the responses greatly summarised the consensus of the majority.
‘People expect to get top notch food for the price they pay unless the food is discounted reasonably. Then, I’m willing to pay for that discounted price. To me, money is the factor.’
– A survey respondent
Another important factor that led to their response was safety. Most of them were concerned with how food businesses stored their leftovers, and the duration they have stored it for. They were afraid that the leftovers may have spoiled and as such, preferred not to take the risk of paying for leftover food.
However, responses to the next question was surprising to me!
Yes to leftovers
When respondents were asked if they would accept leftover food as complimentary side dishes, 78.9% of them said ‘Yes’ (Figure 3).
Figure 3
4 of the respondents who replied ‘No’ to this question also responded ‘No’ to the previous question as they were mainly concerned with the safety of consuming leftover food. As for the other 15 respondents, they were willing to accept leftover food being served to them! That’s mainly because they do not have to pay for it. Also, many respondents highlighted that although these are leftover food, they are still edible and should not be wasted. That is why, they are fine with leftovers being served as complimentary dishes in food businesses.
Overall, it is good to see that people are supportive of consuming leftovers, given that food businesses offer them for free or at lower prices. By reusing leftovers at cafés for instance, it can definitely reduce a portion of food waste. A research done in BarLaurea, a restaurant for students in Laurea University, can be used to support that. As mentioned in the same research, it is important to ensure the safety of leftovers by checking their appearance and smell. I believe that with safety standards being implemented in food businesses, it is possible to reduce food waste by reusing them for dishes. Though leftovers will not always be consumed before they spoil, reusing them is still a way that we can greatly reduce our food waste!
Here’s-wan question for you: What do you think?
sherrymerlot October 1, 2020
Hi Jo! This is such an interesting read! Consumption of leftovers is definitely one thing that should be encouraged more as it could significantly reduce the amount of food waste generated!
I was wondering though if restaurants can charge the people who have excess or leftover food? Such economic disincentives, albeit it being very forceful, might be actually effective in reducing food waste. Perhaps, to prevent the people from being upset due to the presence of many fines, we could educate them about this matter too!
jolee2001 October 2, 2020 — Post Author
Hello Sherry!
Thank you for your question. That is a really interesting question that I have never considered. I do know that some buffet restaurants charge consumers for having excess food. However, I have not come across other non-buffet restaurants that do so. I feel that it is reasonable for buffet restaurants to charge consumers who have leftovers as it is their responsibility to finish what they have taken. However, if this were to be implemented in all other restaurants, consumers may not take the change positively. This is as consumers are paying more if they have leftovers. Yet, they technically didn’t pick and choose the proportions themselves, and they may feel forced to finish their food. They may also find it unreasonable if they were to pay for their excess food even if they are bringing them home. As such, to me, it may be too harsh to implement the charging of excess food in all restaurants. Perhaps, a gradual introduction of the charging system would be good to analyse the receptiveness of consumers, as well as the effectiveness of the system. Thereafter, the fining system can be adjusted accordingly. Hopefully, we can encourage consumers to reduce their wastage through pre-order and post-order stages (Check out my reply to Yu Xun’s comments in this blog post!), and not charge them for their excess. That is as a punitive measure, though effective, may not always be the best solution and may even bring about negative consequences if it is not well accepted by the public 🙂
– Jo
Joanna Coleman October 3, 2020
Love Sherry’s comment & your reply.
I recall going to a sushi restaurant in Montreal where customers are charged a fee for ordering more than they eat.
So I googled it. Couldn’t find that restaurant, but found a few news articles about this practice in Germany & NYC
https://www.thelocal.de/20160816/eat-up-or-pay-up-why-guests-are-charged-for-leftovers
https://www.today.com/food/leaving-food-uneaten-may-cost-you-some-restaurants-778509
jc
jolee2001 October 3, 2020 — Post Author
Hi Dr Coleman!
Thank you for sharing these news articles with us. It is shocking to know that some restaurants in Germany charge people for their excess food, to the point that they charge based on cold and warm food! I feel that implementing such punitive measures may sometimes lead to the opposite of what is expected. For instance, consumers may be even more ‘rebellious’ if they know they will be charged for leftovers. They may end up wasting more, especially for those who are not restricted by the fines. Also, they may start finding loopholes to go against the measure, just like how a lady in the NYC article did (she hid her food in her bag, to avoid being charged for leftovers). In the end, food waste still exists although we can’t see them.
– Jo
itfigures52 October 4, 2020
Hey Jo!
I think at the end of the day, its important for consumers to know how big their appetite is and not over-order. I recall many instances when I would eat out with my cousins at buffets and we would over-order. To avoid the food wastage charge, we would try to finish everything we had and overeat.
Definitely would not recommend doing that!
Cheers, Joseph.
jolee2001 October 4, 2020 — Post Author
Hello Joseph!
Thank you for sharing 🙂 I have experienced the same, but I’ve learnt to order bit by bit to avoid over-ordering. You could try that on your next buffet, and see if it works!
– Jo