Food waste management in chain-affiliated and independent consumers' places: A preliminary and exploratory study

Past research on food waste in foodservices has focused on restaurants in general and failed to examine how/if the ownership model of a restaurant business correlates with the approaches to food waste management adopted in-house. This study employs the qualitative research methods to explore how the challenge of food waste is managed in (inter)national chain-affiliated and (local) independent restaurants. The study finds that chain-affiliated businesses routinely measure food waste and have developed consistent measures to prevent and mitigate its occurrence. In contrast, independent restaurants, particularly those specializing in ethnic cuisine, take no measurements of food waste and manage it on an ad-hoc basis. (Inter)national strategies on food waste prevention and mitigation in restaurants should therefore focus on independent foodservice operators as this is where the largest reduction potential rests. This study offers preliminary insights on the role of various stakeholders within the broader food system whose engagement is critical for effective food waste prevention and mitigation in restaurants. •Chain-affiliates are more advanced in measuring and managing food waste.•Chain-affiliates waste less food than the independents.•Independents do not see food waste as an operational burden worth investment.•Independents do not associate plate leftovers with food waste.•Existing estimates of food waste in UK restaurants are likely to be under-estimates.