Liang,
City of Malolos, Bulacan
A.Y.
2017-2018
The
Impact of Internal Operations of Casual Dining Restaurants of Selected
Barangays in Malolos (Catmon, Bulihan, Tikay, San Pablo) to their Total Food
Waste
by
John
Henry C. Fajardo
Lorraine
Alyssa G. Ramos
Rebekah
Anne R. Razal
Ma.
Gieline Y. Toribio
Research
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of
the Requirements for the
Senior
High School
CHAPTER I
The Problem and its Background
INTRODUCTION
When food is thrown, consumed
or not, people couldn’t care less. Without second thoughts, we put our
environment, our economy, and the state of food quantity at risk. Food waste is
one of the problems the world is facing today and it seems invisible to
everyone’s eye. Food waste is said to be the component of food loss that occurs
when an edible item goes unconsumed (Ellison, 2016). Roughly one third of the
food produced in the world for human consumption- approximately 1.3 billion
tonnes- get lost or wasted each year. According to Tuppen (2014), if food waste
was a country, it would be the world’s 3rd largest emitter of CO2.
Experts have started addressing the problem in food waste due to its increasing
amount and the complications it has brought.
As stated by Kline (2017a),
food waste is a result of someone's intentional choice, such as expired food or
food that is cooked but not eaten, food discarded by retailers due to
undesirable color or blemishes, and plate waste discarded by consumers. On the
other hand, business operations are the processes involved in the day-to-day
functions of the industry conducted for the purpose of generating profit.
Examples of this are meal forecasting, training staff, engaging with consumers,
food storage and consumption (Kline, 2017b); (Rodriguez, 2015). It is important
for every restaurant to have these business practices in order to create good
techniques and strategies in their business.
Food
waste and businesses' internal operations, when put together, is a dilemma
which different countries around the globe have. Businesses are major
contributing factors and one of the biggest generators of food waste. In a
study conducted by Wrap Research (2015) in United Kingdom, 18% of food
purchased by their hospitality and food business sector is wasted. This issue
is given low priority by food-related businesses. From the selection of menu
items to the size of food served, an average restaurant may not notice it may
generate two bags full of good waste (Barclay, 2012). In the Philippines,
restaurants and other food-related businesses are not monitored nor restrained
on their contribution to this growing situation, but in truth needs to be
moderated.
Food
waste and internal operations in businesses are two complex but vital subjects
in the business industry. These are often overshadowed by what people call
“greater factors” (King, 2014; Lee, 2015; Food and Agriculture Organization of
the United Nations, 2017; Wrap Research, 2011; Food Waste IE, 2010; Sustainability,
2015; Grandhi
and Singh, 2015) but need as much attention as other issues because it can
leave a great mark to both the firm and the business owner. The research will
prove the hypothesis that food businesses' internal operations can affect the
total amount of food waste they produce (as supported by Gordon Food Service,
2014; Kline, 2017; Rodriguez, 2015; Barclay, 2012; Hower, 2014; United Nations
Environmental Programme, 2014; Hogan, 2016; National Restaurant Association,
2012; Tuppen, 2014; SICOM, 2017; Cook,
2016; Wrap Research, 2015; Maguire, 2016; Food
Marketing Institute, 2015; Eco Coach, 2012; Derqui, Fayos, and Fernandez, 2016; Lee, 2015). On the side note, the study is also set to
classify where the “wasting of food” happens in casual dining restaurants and to
explore internal operations
management initiatives that can lead to food waste reduction. This study of
internal operations is designed for the main purpose of providing better
management practices for starting/existing food business in order to reduce the
food waste they generate and increasing their profit in the process. The
research will help this sector of Malolos on pin-pointing the real source of
food waste in their department.
STATEMENT
OF THE PROBLEM
This study aims to determine
the effects of internal operations of casual dining restaurants in selected
barangays in Malolos to their total amount of food waste.
This study seeks to find answers
to the following questions:
1. What are casual dining
restaurants?
2.
What
are the internal operations of casual dining restaurants?
3.
Where
does food waste come from?
4.
What
are the factors contributing to the food waste induced by casual dining
restaurants?
5.
How
will this study help casual dining restaurants in reducing food waste their
establishment generates?
6.
How
will this study help the community?
7.
What
solutions can casual dining restaurants implement to decrease the amount of
food waste they generate?
HYPOTHESIS
OF THE STUDY
Business' internal operations
have a significant effect to the total amount of food waste that they produce.
SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE STUDY
This study is deemed to be beneficial
for the following:
Restaurant Owners. This study will be beneficial to restaurant
owners because they are the primary ones who handle the food businesses and the
ones who act as overseers of the processes done in it. It will inform them
about the possible im-pacts of food waste to their enterprise in terms of their
income and taking part in environmental development.
Customers of Food Businesses. This research will help inform the customers of food businesses about the environmental effects of them leaving food on their plates. It will help them understand that they are one of the probable culprits for the said issue.
Product Managers. The gathered information will help educate them about the proper handling and preparation of food and also provide them ways to lessen the amount of waste in the process.
Community. The data collected and results produced will be used to increase awareness regarding the effects of food waste to the different aspects of the community.
Customers of Food Businesses. This research will help inform the customers of food businesses about the environmental effects of them leaving food on their plates. It will help them understand that they are one of the probable culprits for the said issue.
Product Managers. The gathered information will help educate them about the proper handling and preparation of food and also provide them ways to lessen the amount of waste in the process.
Community. The data collected and results produced will be used to increase awareness regarding the effects of food waste to the different aspects of the community.
Environment. Loss in businesses aren't the only effects brought by food waste
but also in the environment. This study will help provide methods to lessen and
knowledge about the impact of food waste in the environment concerning
pollution and usage in landfills.
SCOPE
AND DELIMITATION
This study is limited to determining the impact of
internal operations of casual dining restaurants of selected barangays in
Malolos (Catmon, Tikay, Bulihan, San Pablo) to their total amount of food
waste, give clarity to where this waste comes from, and provide options and
solutions to the problems caused by food waste from casual dining restaurants
through the following variables: staff engagement, food preparation, meal
planning (portion sizing, plating and presentation, etc.), food storage, and
the quality of dishes. Anything outside the variables mentioned are not
included in the research.
DEFINITION OF
TERMS
accrued. Increasing in value.
anaerobic. Living in the absence of
air; living; active
anaerobic digestion. A series of biological processes in which microorganisms break down
biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen; sewage treatment
annum. Once a year;
yearly
biodiversity erosion. Erosion by wind, water, etc.
caddies. A container storing or
holding objects
carbon emission.
Release of
greenhouse gases and/or precursors into the atmosphere over a specific area and
period of time.
carbon footprint.
The total
amount of greenhouse gas produced to directly and indirectly support human
activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide.
chronic hunger. Undernourishment
cross-contamination. The process by which
bacteria or other microorganisms are unintentionally transferred form one
substance
cross-utilization. Make use of in an additional
way
colossal. Bulk
commodities.
Raw
materials
complexities. Being intricate or
complicated
degradation. Being degraded
dwindle. Become steadily less
farm-to-fork.
Often called
farm-to-table which promotes serving food to local restaurants, schools, and
households.
fast casual restaurant. Refers to the ease of fast
food but with more inviting sit-down atmosphere. It offers higher quality food
than other fast food chain (with fewer frozen of processed ingredients)
First In First Out (Fifo) storage
method. A safe food storage system of rotating
your food so that you use the oldest items first.
fiscal loss. Relating to taxation, public
revenues or public debt.
food banks. A non-profit organization
that distributes food to those who have difficulty purchasing enough to avoid
hunger
food footprint. Food’s greenhouse gas
emission.
food safety. A scientific discipline
describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that present
food-borne illnesses.
food-scavenging. To search for food to eat.
food service operations. Include all companies,
organizations, and individuals who prepare, supply and serve food outside of
the home environment.
food shortage. Due to lack of food or
difficulties in distribution; affecting large numbers of people due to
climatic, environmental, socio- economic reasons or extreme political
conditions.
full service restaurant. Defined as sit-down eatery
where food is served directly to the customer’s table. These establishments may
sell alcoholic beverages, provide take out, or present live entertainment.
haulers. One that hauls such as a
commercial establishment or worker whose business is hauling.
hospitality management. Treatment or visitors and
guests.
hotspot. A place of danger.
impede. Delay or prevent.
incentive. A thing that motivates or
encourages one to do something especially employees
incentivize. Provide (someone) with an
incentive for doing something (a deed)
incinerator. A machine for burning
garbage, waste, etc.
labor costs. Sum of all wages paid to
employees, as wells as the cost of benefits and payroll taxes paid by and
employer
land degradation. Value is affected by human
processes
landfill. Site of disposal of waste
materials
landfill levy. Money collected by the
government.
livestock. Farm animals
logistical problems. Problems relating to the
organization of something complicated
meal plan. A type of plan you create for yourself or your
family of what type of diet and food you will have and need at meal times so
you can put the plan in effect.
optimal foods. Foods containing the
prescribed nutrients needed for maintaining a good health.
organic waste. Organic material such as
food, garden, lawn, clippings
outpaces. To surpass or outdo
par level. Periodic Automatic
Replenishment
pen-urban area. Urban-rural transition zone
plate fillers. Pieces of food placed or
used as garnish or ornaments for plating purposes
pre-consumer food waste. A valuable product that is
often underutilized
procurement. The process of finding,
agreeing terms and acquiring goods, services, or works from an external source
product mix/es. Also known as product assortment;
refers or the total number of product lines that a company offers to its
customers.
prospect.
A person
regarded as likely to succeed or as a potential customer, client, etc.
PR. Public Relations.
quick service restaurants
(QSR).
Also known as fast food restaurants, is a specific type of restaurant that
serves fast food cuisine and has minimal table service
reduction. The amount by which something
is reduced or diminished.
roll-out. Get out or arise
RPCs. Reusable Plastic Containers.
salvage. The act of saving anything
from danger
social license. This concept describes the
need for our customers to support decisions we make to reduce waste.
spatial factors. Forces relating to space
staggering. Very large; alarming amount
starters. In terms of food, starters
are dishes which are commonly light and small in portion, taken before the main
course.
supply chain. A system of organizations,
people, activities, information, and resources involved in moving products of
services from supplier to customer.
surplus. The amount of an asset or resource that exceeds the portion that is utilized;
excess
surplus food. An amount of food greater
than needed at the time
tantalizing. Teasingly out of reach
temporal factors. Factors or forces affecting
the timeframe of something
tonnes. Internal capacity for ships;
a unit of measurement; commonly referred to as
the metric ton in the United States
trade-off. A balance achieved between two
desirable but incompatible features.
training program. Comprised of series of
courses and usually has a flexible time and cost budget.
trayless system or trayless dining.
A method
of serving food without using trays, may be by not providing pre-packed food.
Most common in all-you-can-eat dining facilities to reduce over-portioning by
consumers
trimming. A technical term in cuisine
which means to remove all unwanted or inedible parts of meat, fish, poultry, or
vegetable
unitary. Forming a single unit
CHAPTER
II
Theoretical
Framework
|
Internal Operations of Casual Dining
Restaurants in Selected Barangays in Malolos (Catmon, San Pablo, Tikay, and
Bulihan)
|
|
Total
Food Waste
|
|
Meal
Planning
|
|
Food
Storage
|
|
Staff
Engagement
|
The
framework proposes the relationship between the internal operations of casual
dining restaurants and how it contributes to the food waste that they produce.
Based on the statements coming from Gordon Food Service (2014), Kline (2017),
Rodriguez (2015), Barclay (2012), Hower (2014), United Nations Environmental
Programme (2014), Hogan (2016), National Restaurant Association (2012), Tuppen
(2014), SICOM (2017), Cook (2016), Wrap Research (2015), Maguire (2016), Food
Marketing Institute (2015), Eco Coach (2012), Derqui, Fayos, and Fernandez (2016),
Lee (2015), they identified the three variables above namely (1) Staff
Engagement, (2) Food Storage, (3) Meal Planning as the specific internal
operations of casual dining restaurants which contribute to the food waste that
they produce. Also, the researchers decided to select four barangays in which
have the most number of restaurants existing in the vicinity of Malolos, to
narrow down the topic. In contrary, some of the experts (Barclay, 2012;
Rodriguez, 2015) said that food waste coming from restaurants is
consumer-related.
REVIEW
OF RELATED LITERATURE
The literature and studies included in
this chapter tackle various factors related to the study. Citations included
shall serve as the researchers’ guide in developing the study.
This chapter presents several
factors that affect the production of food waste of casual dining restaurants
grouped accordingly. The factors namely
as Storage/Inventory, Meal Planning, and Staff (Pros) are the influences on why
food waste originates mainly from the internal operations.
STORAGE/INVENTORY
Harvest
losses have several causes, including bad timing and poor conditions during the
harvest as well as inadequate techniques and equipment. Similarly, lack of good
infrastructure for transportation, storage, cooling, and marketing cause food
to spoil, especially in hot climates, and one major front for action in the
effort to reduce food wastage is developing better food harvest, storage,
processing, transport, and retailing processes (Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations, 2017). According to Lee (2015), the type of
wrapping that is used on products also helps ensure a longer shelf life. An
example would be the improved rice-storage bags in the Philippines which has
helped cut losses of that staple grain by 15 percent as stated by the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2017).
Moreover,
according to Tuppen (2014), 21% of the food waste generated in hotels’ food
services come from Spoilage. He suggested that in order to prevent spoilage,
ensure that the stock is rotated as new deliveries come in and it is stocked
correctly. Also, based on Shakman’s observation, CEO of LeanPath, most
pre-consumer food waste is due to four factors and two of those are expiration
and spoilage. Additionally, Shakman advised that training staff to obtain the
First In, First out storage method which would help in ensuring that the
products will be utilized before its expiration (as cited by National
Restaurants Association, 2012). Likewise, as said by Gordon Food Service
(2014a), managing inventory should do the job of reducing food spoilage and
overstocking which then results to food waste.
MEAL
PLANNING
Also,
as stated by Hogan (2016), food service operations are often high-intensity,
high-pressure environments because there are quotas to meet, quality to uphold,
and regulations to comply with. Meal planning is known to be one of the most
crucial steps in a food business for it will determine not only the success of
the enterprise, but also the amount of income generated by it. Food preparation
is said to be one of the major contributors of food waste with the rate of 45%
(Tuppen, 2014). Portion sizing, meal presentation, and repurposing of
ingredients is said to be great sources of food waste (King, 2014). Along with
it is the offering of wide options of menu and
the manner of restaurants prepping and cooking more than needed together with
the concern of over-merchandising in order to provide all the demands of the
customers, which will result to waste (National Restaurant Association, 2012;
Hogan, 2016).
Food
considered as plate fillers like chips, vegetables, and salads are most likely
to remain uneaten. Some also thought of salad garnishes as ornamental, rather
than something to eat as stated by King (2014). And in the kitchen, coming up
with innovative ways of repurposing chicken, beef, vegetables, or other foods
that weren’t used the day before can reduce food spoilage at the preparation
stage, cited by Lee (2015).
Rodriguez (2015a) also said that restaurant kitchens should
be more creative in modifying clean leftovers from their supply. Planning of
meals to be served such as monitoring the trimmings of products and being
creative with leftovers such as turning torn-off carrot tops into culinary
delights will help in cutting costs and wastes (National Restaurant
Association, 2012). Cutting back on preparation mistakes that lead to wasted
food could be lessened through giving assistance with the kitchen crews in more
accurate food preparation (SICOM, 2017). Rodriguez (2015a) stated that
restaurant kitchens should be more creative in modifying clean leftovers from
their supply. In addition, by addressing the provision and communication of
different portion sizes, both technically with industry and behaviorally with
staff and customers, we can achieve cleaner plates at the end of a meal out
(King, 2014).
According
to Gibble in 2010, if you buy more than what you can use before it spoils, your
attempt to save money has actually resulted in wasted food and fiscal loss.
Reduction efforts should also include meal forecasting. Some of the most
preferred action is reducing the volume of surplus food
generated that means adapting supply to meet the expected demand for food more
precisely (Kline, 2017). It was also proposed by SICOM (2017) that aligning
preparation and cooking practices with demand patterns will reduce waste and
shortage. It was also stated that a restaurant should have cycle menus to make
it easier to establish a par level (minimum quantity needed in your inventory
in time for the next delivery) (Gordon Food Service, 2014b). It was also stated
by Tuppen (2014) that in ordering and menu planning, using pre-prepared, frozen
or dried ingredients can reduce wastage as well as familiarizing with
reservations forecasts, keeping the menu simple and offering customers
different portion sizes was advised by the author. According to Joseph (2016b),
restaurants additionally do not offer food sizes that are adaptable by each
customer since the advantage is not seen by the restaurants.
STAFF
ENGAGEMENT
Furthermore,
lack of awareness about the issue of food waste and management’s measures
regarding the problem among the staff and crew could lead to more wastage. As
an example, stated by Cook (2016), in order to satisfy customers, some
restaurants tend to fill the pans even right before the closing despite the
fact of preparing food more than needed. In addition, considering the
satisfaction of customers which means that restaurants ensure they give the
same experience to first and last one to enter their door and the need to
maintain their service and selection from open to close creates waste. Also,
some food service operators take in the practice of minimizing their labour
costs which means they will produce in large batches, requiring less time
investment for staff, which eventually will turn into waste (Hogan, 2016).
Along
with this is the knowledge team members should have (Gordon Food Service,
2014c). The hardest part for many restaurants may just be getting the workers
to become aware of how much edible food they waste every day (Barclay, 2012a).
Thus, Tuppen (2014) suggested that staff training and communication regarding
your waste reduction and management strategy is the key. Engage staff to
recycle more by helping them understand which waste goes to bins. Also,
assisting staffs in preparation to cut back mistakes in kitchen was advised by
SICOM (2017).
In contradiction to the factors
mentioned above, some other aspects emerged which states that food waste from
casual dining restaurants come from customers themselves. These factors are
named as Consumer Habits and Legalities (Cons).
CONSUMER
HABITS
As
stated by Joseph (2016a), a major source of food waste is food that is left on
the plate of customers. According to King (2014), the reason for leaving food
is more complex with a mix
of
habits, values, and social norms all at play. Customer engagement and interest
is a key element for wasted food reduction in restaurants (Lee, 2015). One
factor that often contributes to food waste by consumers is confusion over
sell-by and best-before dates, noted by the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (2017).
Also,
wasteful consumption habits are some of the reasons behind food waste among
developing countries (Rodriguez, 2015b). According to Barclay (2012b), these
habits are harder to
change than the menu. The bottomline of doing anything to benefit the planet is
changing mindsets, changing behaviors.
LEGALITIES
Moreover,
confusing food safety policies is considered as another food waste driver. To
comply with the food safety regulations, operators establish margin of errors
for food safety. What can end up happening in the pursuit of compliance with
food safety policies is that operations might create waste if they are
following rules without applying their own rationale (Hogan, 2016). Also, restrictions with regards to the
legalities and availability of local services will affect your choice of
options on where to bring your leftovers and food waste (Tuppen, 2014). Some 63
percent of food manufacturers say there are barriers to food waste recycling,
including the limited availability of recycling facilities, transportation
costs associated with long travel distances, strict internal requirements for
food waste handling, liability concerns and regulatory requirements that limit
the reuse of certain types of food waste. Each department within a store has
its own food diversion requirement that they need to comply to. Companies with
franchise-based business models also face challenges to centrally track food
waste and institute system-wide food waste programs (Hower, 2014).
REVIEW
OF RELATED STUDIES
In accordance to the factors
identified as pros, researches related to the study acknowledged the same
factors as the culprit on most of the food waste generated in casual dining
restaurants.
STORAGE/INVENTORY
Food
waste arises from food preparation and spoilage, a total of 66% of the UK
Hospitality and Food Service sector's food waste (Wrap Research, 2005a). Based
on the inquiry done by Derqui, Fayos and Fernandez (2016), in the storage
process, stock management and permanent control were mentioned as a critical
issue. The FIFO or the First In, First Out system should always be used, best
before dates should systematically be revised and technology-related issues
such as the availability of vacuum packaging equipment to preserve food
leftovers better should be monitored by the food service providers. Additionally,
it is important to remember the relevance of controlling both primary and
secondary expiry dates (Derqui, Fayos and Fernandez, 2016). In terms of date
labelling, checking expiration dates appears to depend on food category. Consumers
check expiration dates frequently for products in which a decrease in quality
is risked and for products with which they have experience of usage according
to Sustainability (2015).
MEAL PLANNING
In
addition, according to the study of Lee (2015), college students perceived that
better food quality and menu options are key factors, which could be the answer
in reducing food waste in
university dining settings. Also, results showed that small serving sizes,
better food options, better food quality and value of meal plan are main
factors of food waste.
On
the other hand, based on the research of Derqui, Fayos and Fernandez (2016) in
the procurement process, mistakes in demand planning are responsible for an
important part of food waste in Spanish food service businesses. Deep
historical data analysis and the use of advanced demand planning software were
mentioned as best practices to address the issue. Menu management was also
mentioned as another key issue: the wider the menu offered, the more difficult
it becomes to minimize waste. It is recommended to plan menus in creative ways
such as including dishes that use ingredients that would otherwise be
discarded, for example, for being leftovers of other plates on the menu. For
catering companies, smart menu planning is advised, which is defined as the use
of ingredients left from one day in the menu of the following day. Also,
collaboration with suppliers with the objective of adapting formats to
customers’ needs, as well as the use of packaged portions or frozen solutions,
were suggested as the best practices to address the issue.
In
addition, according to Balakrishnan, director and founder of Eatonline Asia, as
food prices are high, and they cannot always pass on the cost to the consumers.
In order to reduce waste, innovative cooking methods such as using a base
ingredient common to many dishes can be considered to address the issue. Also, he
suggested that restaurants or food service providers can reduce waste in the
long run if they will make an effort to prepare, bearing in mind consumer
demand (as cited in Ghandi and Singh, 2015, p.11).
STAFF ENGAGEMENT
Additionally,
according to Maguire (2016), poor management skills can be a driver of
restaurant food waste, indicating that simply having the data on food waste is
not enough to change restaurant waste practices.
Referring
to the study by Derqui, Fayos and Fernandez (2016) in the cooking process,
training and consciousness of employees on waste allegedly makes a huge
difference. Raising awareness on how much food is wasted daily was claimed as
the key issue. It is mentioned that it is relevant to share the results of
measurement with employees. Also, suggested sales by waiters is another tool
that is frequently used by restaurants in which the waiters get instructions to
recommend specific dishes when there is risk of high pre-consumer waste. This could
be taken into account in dealing with the issue (Derqui, Fayos and Fernandez,
2016). Moreover, respondents from the study of Lee (2015) suggested that
skilled employees may produce a better quality of food and contribute in
lessening food waste. Wrap Research (2005b) added that one should measure food
waste by reviewing waste data regularly and training their staff to do so.
Meanwhile, according to a study conducted by Food Waste IE (2010a), a recycling
system can lead to a 44% reduction in waste costs.
In refutation to some researcher’s
claim that food waste from casual dining restaurants come from their internal
operations, other factors claim that customers are still the one to blame. The
cons are as follows:
CONSUMER HABIT
According
to Nicole and Nicolas Ng, founders of Food Bank in Singapore, the biggest
challenge is changing the mindset of the people toward food waste (as cited in
Ghandi and Singh, 2015, p.10). Plate waste resulted to 30% of the total kilos
wasted. The biggest losses come from fruits and cooked dishes. It was said that
the negligent behavior by the consumers, especially in developed countries, is
said to be caused by the illusion of abundance within their country. Also, lack
of awareness of the social impact of food wastage and being completely ignorant
about the other parts of the world suffering undernourishment contributes as
well as the said behavior. Further, Strasser (2014) interestingly underlines
that this is of special relevance in the food service sector as we tend to
undervalue food that is not prepared by ourselves or by our loved ones (as
cited in Derqui, Fayos and Fernandez, 2016, p.6). Also, it was stated that the
excessive quantities of food waste may arise due to over-ordering by consumers
(Food Waste IE, 2010b).
Also,
regarding consumer food provisioning in terms of purchasing, a U.S. experiment
found that consumers show little tolerance for visual imperfections, but those
with higher environmental concerns are more tolerant (Sustainability, 2015).
LEGALITIES
On
the other hand, some countries are adapting the practice of donation for those
who are hungry and for animal feed but others don’t due to legalities. Some of
the reasons cited by retailers and other food service organizations for lack of
donations were fear of food poisoning, legal implications of distributing
spoiled food, tarnishing of provider’s brand image, lack of knowledge of
customer preferences, and the likes (Ghandi and Singh, 2015). Collection
authorities have responsibilities to businesses with regards to waste (Wrap
Research, 2011)
OTHER FACTORS
Lastly,
restaurants are wasting money by not addressing waste (Eco Coach, 2012). In
conclusion of the study of Derqui, Fayos and Fernandez (2016), the higher the
cost of food waste is for firms, the higher their interest will be in reducing
it. Whenever measures are not taken, it is usually due to: (1) Its low
visibility or low awareness of waste; (2) marketing issues related with the
economic results- expected sales decrease when reducing waste; or (3) because
waste is produced once food has been sold (post-consumer waste). Food service
operators in our research considered plate waste as the consumers’ decision and
thus, they do not measure it as they consider it has no effect on their
financial results for it is already “sold”.
CHAPTER
III
Research
Methodology
This chapter presents the
research design, area of study, population, sample of the population, sampling technique, instruments for data
collection, validation of the questionnaire,
administration of the instruments, and method of data analysis.
METHODS
AND TECHNIQUES OF THE STUDY
In order to satisfy the
objectives of the study, a quantitative research was held. The main attribute of
a quantitative research is that it highlights factual measurements and
statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through questionnaires
and surveys. Its basic advantage, which also establishes its difference with
qualitative research, is that it offers statistical conclusions which can mean
that the analysis is often considered reliable. Quantitative research is the appropriate
study to gather the desired results of the research (Lums, 2016).
The research techniques used
to gather information which came from a range of sources are conducting two
surveys and an interview. Interview is defined as a conversation in which
someone is questioned about their background, lifestyle or experience
(LoveToKnow Corp, 2015). The researchers utilized the structured interview in
which there is a specific set of predetermined questions. No questions were
added after the primary data is gathered. On the other hand, survey is defined
as an investigation about the characteristics of a given population by means of collecting data from a sample
of that population and estimating their characteristics through the systematic
use of statistical methodology (Geneva, 2000) in which information can be input
either by respondents themselves or the researchers. The survey technique used
is written questionnaire which allows respondents to remain anonymous (Whimch,
2003). It is a form used in gathering information on some subject or subjects,
consisting of a set of questions to be submitted to one or more persons.
POPULATION
AND SAMPLE OF THE STUDY
The population of the study for the
survey of consumers was computed through gathering the total number of the
residents from the four selected barangays in Malolos namely Catmon, Bulihan,
San Pablo, and Tikay, in which have the most number of restaurants needed by
the researcher. The total population is 29, 149 and by using the Slovin’s
formula with 10% margin of error, the researchers came up with the total of 100
respondents, ages 13 and above coming from the said barangays, as shown on
Fig.1.
Barangay
|
Population
|
Catmon
|
1,988
|
Bulihan
|
13, 134
|
San
Pablo
|
8,992
|
Tikay
|
5,035
|
Total:
|
29, 149
|
|
100
|
Figure 1 The population of four barangays included in the scope of the study
as well
as the formula used to derive the
population sample.
On the other hand, the total number of crews and employees
was computed based on the number of casual dining restaurants in the said
barangays. In the researchers’ estimation, there 20 casual dining restaurants
existing in the said communities so the researchers settled with 20 crews or
employees of each restaurant as their target number of respondents but was not
achieved due to some circumstances and reasons coming from the restaurants.
Moreover, for the interview
of business owners or managers, the researchers followed the standard of 10 interviewees
coming from the aforementioned estimated number of casual dining restaurants.
The researchers of the study used opportunity sampling to gather needed data
for both survey and interview.
RESEARCH
INSTRUMENTS
To obtain the desired results that will satisfy the
research objectives, the researchers had to formulate surveys for consumers and
employees/crews of casual dining restaurants and an interview for
managers/owners of the said restaurants. The survey for consumers required
participants aged 13-60 years old. The respondents should be residents of
Malolos and have experiences of eating at casual dining restaurants. The survey
was conducted for the purpose of getting the insights of customers about the
source of food waste as well as to determine if food waste is consumer-related.
Meanwhile, the survey for employees/crews required employees who are involved
in internal operations and must be working within the vicinity of Malolos
specifically in Catmon, Bulihan, Tikay, and San Pablo. The survey was conducted
for the purpose of estimating the average amount of food waste their restaurant
produces and what actions they take after. The interview for managers/owners
required participants who are a working manager of casual dining restaurants
within the vicinity of Malolos specifically in Catmon, Bulihan, Tikay, and San
Pablo. The interview will be conducted for the purpose of discovering their
solutions for the food waste they produce and how they limit it, as well as the
restrictions of disposing it and its effects to their business.
The questionnaires were
consulted and were under the process of approval of three experts related to
the topic. The food specialists who validated our research instruments are Mr.
Jonathan Bloom, Ms. Andrea Spacht, and Mrs. Rose V. Millanes. Mr. Jonathan Bloom
is a journalist, consultant, and thought leader on the topic of food waste. Mr.
Bloom wrote the book “American Wasteland” and created the site “Wasted Food”.
He regularly speaks and consults on the subject of wasted food (Food Tank,
2013). Ms. Andrea Spacht, on the other hand, is a sustainable food systems
specialist in food & agriculture program. Ms. Spacht focuses on making food
systems more efficient, sustainable, and equitable. She is helping in creating
strategies that can be implemented at various stages throughout the supply
chain, including on farms, within cities, and by companies. One of her
priorities in her area of work is food waste (Natural Resource Defense Council,
2016). Lastly, Mrs. Rose V. Millanes is a technical-vocational teacher in
Bulacan Ecumenical School. She has been working in the institution for six
years and is currently managing the school canteen. Acting as an overseer and
supervisor, she has wide knowledge about the processes done in and out of the
cafeteria.
The questionnaires validated are as follows:
Survey
for Consumers
1. Which type of food is most likely to be left
uneaten whenever you eat at casual-dining restaurants? (Aling uri ng pagkain ang kadalasang mong iniiwan kapag ikaw ay
kumakain sa mga casual-dining restaurants?)
- Vegetables (gulay)
- Scraps of meat (pira-pirasong karne)
- Soup (sabaw)
- Rice (kanin)
- Garnish (dekorasyon sa pagkain)
- None (Wala)
- Others (Iba pa): _______________________
2. Based on your estimation,
how much of the food you selected above is being left on your plate? (Base sa iyong estimasyon, gaano karami ang
pagkain iyong pinili sa tanong #1 ang naiiwan sa iyong plato?)
a. Small quantity only (Kakaunti
lamang)
b. Not much (Di masyadong
marami)
c. A lot (Madami)
3. What is the main reason
why you leave these types of food? (Ano
ang pangunahing dahilan kung bakit ka nag-iiwan ng ganitong uri ng pagkain?)
a. Serving size is too big. (Masyadong
madami ang pagkain.)
b. The dish served has poor taste. (Hindi kaaya-aya ang lasa.)
c. The picture does not depict the actual product. (Hindi naipapakita ng larawan sa menu ang
mismong produkto.)
d. I’m a picky eater. (Pihikan
ako sa pagkain.)
3. When you have leftovers from eating out, do
you choose to bring it home? (Kapag ikaw
ay may tirang pagkain, pinipili mo bang iuwi ito?)
a. Yes (Oo)
b. No. Why? (Hindi.
Bakit?) __________________________________
c. Sometimes. Why? (Minsan.
Bakit?)_________________________
4. Do you think you
contribute to the global food waste problem? (Naiisip mo ba na ikaw ay nakadadagdag sa kasayangan ng pagkain ng
mundo?)
a. Yes (Oo)
b. No (Hindi)
Survey
for Employees/ Crews
1. Based on your estimation,
how many trash bags of food waste does your restaurant produce in the span of
one week? (Base sa iyong estimasyon,
ilang sako ng pagkain ang nasasayang sa inyong restawran?)
a. 1-2 trash bags c.
6-9 trash bags
b. 3-5 trash bags d.
10 or more trash bags
2. Where do you think most of
these food wastes come from? (Saan sa
tingin mo kadalasang nagmumula ang kasayangan sa mga tirang pagkain?)
a. From the customers (mula
sa mga mamimili)
b. From the internal operations of our restaurant: staff
engagement/ food storage/ meal planning (mula
sa “internal operations” ng aming restawran: partisipasyon ng empleyado,
pag-iimbak ng pagkain, pagpaplano ng menu)
3. Does your employer conduct
seminars/trainings regarding food waste management? (Ang namamahala ba ng inyong pinapasukang trabaho ay nagsasagawa ng
pulong o seminar tungkol sa wastong paghawak at pag-ayos ng bilang ng
nasasayang na pagkain?)
a. Yes (Oo) b. No (Hindi)
4. How often does your team
perform storage/inventory monitoring and checking? (Gaano kadalas nagsasagawa ng pag-oobserba at pag-aayos ng mga suplay
sa inyong restawran?)
a. Daily (Araw-araw)
b. Weekly (Linggo-linggo)
c. Every other week (Kada-isang
linggo)
d. Monthly (Buwan-buwan)
e. Quarterly (Kada-tatlong
buwan)
f. Others (Iba pa):
_________________________________________
5. Where does your food waste
go? Circle all that applies. (Saan napupunta
ang mga tirang pagkain ng inyong restawran? Maaaring magbilog ng higit sa isang
sagot.)
a. Bring it to farms for feed/livestock. (Dinadala ito sa farm para maipakain mga alagang hayop.)
b. Donate it. (Ito ay
nagsisilbing donasyon.)
c. Compost/ recycling as fertilizer. (I-resaykel ito bilang fertilizer.)
d. Anaerobic digestion (food waste is broken down to produce
biogas) (Pagcoconvert sa tirang pakain
bilang biogas
6. Are there any restrictions
in the food waste disposal of your restaurant?
a. Yes. Please
specify (Mayroon, pakisaad):
____________________________________________________________________________
b. None. (Wala)
Interview
for Managers/Owners
1.
What are the internal operations of your business? Do
you think these internal operations affect the amount of food waste that your
establishment produces? (Ano ang mga
“internal operations” sa iyong negosyo? Sa tingin mo, ang mga “internal
operations” ba na ito ay nakakaapekto sa dami ng nasasayang na pagkain na
nanggagaling sa inyong negosyo?)
2.
What actions do your management take when you notice
that customers have large amounts of leftovers? (Anong mga hakbang ang ginagawa ninyo kapag nakikita ninyo na malaki
ang nasasayang na pagkain ng inyong mamimili?)
3.
How does food waste affect your business? Does it cost
the restaurant a lot of money? (Paano
nakaaapekto ang kasayangan sa pagkain sa inyong negosyo? Malaki ba ang
nagagastos ng inyong restawran ukol rito?)
4.
What factors restrict your disposal of food waste?
(e.g. government policy, marketing needs) (Ano
ang mga dahilan kung bakit hindi ninyo nasosolusyunan ang bilang ng
nasasayang na pagkain sa inyong negosyo? Hal: mga
batas at panuntunan ng pamahalaan, pangangailangan sa marketing)
5.
Where does your establishment’s food waste go? (Saan napupunta ang mga nasasayang na
pagkain sa inyong negosyo?)
6.
Do you think imposing rules for leftover food minimize
food waste of customers? (Sa tingin mo ba
ay nakakatulong ang paggawa ng patuntunan ukol sa mga tirang pagkain para
mabawasan ang tirang pagkain ng mga mamimili?)
After the validation of the
questionnaires, the researchers proceeded to the disseminating of survey and
conducting interviews.
DATA
GATHERING PROCEDURE
There are three sets of data
to be gathered in order to collect the answers needed for the study, two of
which are surveys and the other one left is an interview. The first survey is
for casual dining restaurant consumers residing in the selected barangays of
Malolos: Bulihan, Catmon, San Pablo, and Tikay. They were asked questions about
which types of food they are most likely to leave on their plates and the
reasons behind this. This will give the researchers the perspective of
customers and it will help them corroborate if food waste is consumer-related
or not. The second survey is for casual dining restaurant employees and crews.
The questions given were about the amount of food
waste in their establishment, their opinions on whether food waste comes from
consumers or the business itself, and their disposal procedures. The answers
will be used to determine the amount of food wasted in each restaurant, and if
summed up, in all the selected barangays. Lastly, the interview questionnaires
were distributed to casual dining restaurant owners and managers. It contained
questions which talked about the internal operations and their view on how
these can affect their total food waste. They were also asked about their
protocol when they notice that the amount of food wasted is increasing.
The data gathering lasted
from September 6 to 30, inclusive of the questionnaire validation, distribution
to respondents, and data analysis.
DATA
PROCESSING AND STATISTICAL PROCEDURE
The data gathered by the researchers
from the survey for both consumers and crews will be analyzed using the
inferential analysis and inferential statistics. As defined by Brianna Whiting
of Study.com, Inferential data analysis should be used by the researcher when
he takes a small sample in order to point out something about a larger
population. For this study, the researcher used sampling to collect the needed
information coming from a large number of population of the four selected
barangays in Malolos. Also, Inferential statistics will be used for it allows
researchers to use these samples to generalize the populations from which the
samples were drawn (Laerd Statistics, 2013).
On the other hand, the data
collected from the interview for the owners and managers will be used to
support the citations and results that the researchers will be able to come up
with for conclusions at the end of this study.
CHAPTER IV
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND
INTERPRETATION OF DATA
This
chapter discusses the data analysis and findings from 100 survey questionnaires
for consumers, 17 survey questionnaires for employees and crews, and 6
interviews conducted to owners or managers of casual dining restaurants.
Summarization of the collected data and the analysis is presented in this
chapter.
SURVEY FOR CONSUMERS
This section discusses the
result of the written questionnaire dedicated to consumers of casual dining
restaurants of four barangays within Malolos, responded by 100 participants.
|
|
Figure 2 The type of food that is most likely to be left uneaten whenever consumers eat at casual dining restaurants
A
huge number (27%) of the respondents said that garnishes are most likely to be
left on their plates when eating out. 22% answered that they do not choose to
waste food. Vegetables come in third place when it comes to being wasted by
consumers. Scraps of meat (8%) and rice (6%) are also wasted by some. And the
remaining 4% are other types of food, specified by the respondents, like
seafoods, fat, burnt and toasted parts of food.
Figure 3 How much of the food
selected on no. 1 is being left on plate
Since
in the first question, the type of food that is commonly wasted is food
ornaments or garnishes, more than half of the respondents answered that they
only waste a small quantity of food. 28% said that they left more and the
remaining 12% said they waste a lot.
|
Figure 4 The main reason why consumer leave food uneaten
|
Majority
of the consumers said that the reason behind them wasting food is the poor
taste of the dish. They also considered the serving size and 25% of them said
that it was too big for them. Being a picky eater has also been a reason why
23% of the respondents leave food on their plates. 13% were concerned about how
the dish looked on the menu versus how it looked like in real life. Visual
appearance is considered as something that can change the perception of the
customers about the products that can later on lead to food wastage. The other
7% includes the customers’ eating habits and preferences.
Question
4: When you have leftovers from eating out, do you choose to bring it home?
63%
of the respondents said that they choose to bring their leftovers home. 14% of
them sometimes brought it home and 23% said they do not bring their leftovers
because they think that it is embarrassing and includes answers from consumers
like “It depends”, “If someone will eat them at home” or “I’m shy to take it
home”.
|
Figure 6 Consumer's insight if they think they contribute to the global
food waste problem
|
60%
of the respondents are aware of their contribution to the global food waste
problem while 40% are not.
SURVEY FOR EMPLOYEES/CREWS
This
section discusses the result of the written questionnaire dedicated to
employees or crews of casual dining restaurants of four barangays within
Malolos, responded by 9 participants.
Question
1: Based on your estimation, how many
trash bags of food waste does your restaurant produce in the span of one week?
|
Figure 7 Number of trash bags of food waste their restaurant produces in
the span of one week
|
Less
than half or 44% (of the employees) said that they only have 1-2 trash bags of
food waste, for both unused ingredients and customer leftovers, per week. 37%
of them had 3-5 trash bags. 13% answered that 6-9 trash bags are wasted. A
total of 6% said that they generated 10 or more trash bags of food waste.
|
Figure 8 Source of most of the food waste
|
Majority
of the crews or 78% think that the waste comes from the customers mainly
because they are the ones who choose to leave food on their plates since a huge
part of the food waste they produce is from leftovers. 22% said that their
internal operations contribute to the total food waste.
Question
3: Does your employer conduct seminars/ trainings regarding food waste
management?
Most
of the food businesses or 93% surveyed conduct seminars to inform its employees
about the source of food waste and how to properly handle it.
Question
4: How often does your team perform storage/ inventory monitoring and checking?
|
Figure 10 How often their team perform storage/ inventory monitoring and
checking
|
Results
have shown that most of these casual dining restaurants or 47% perform storage
and inventory monitoring daily in order to guarantee the freshness of their
products. The other 29% perform monitoring on a weekly basis. However, 24%
state that they perform inventory checking every other week.
|
Figure 11 Where food waste go
|
Majority
of the restaurants or 47% surveyed said that the food waste went to farms as
food for animals and as livestock. 33% is donated to different groups. The
remaining 20% of the food waste, biodegradables, is used as landfill and
compost. The ingredients which are nearly expired are given to the homeless and
some organizations.
|
Figure 12 Existence of restrictions in food waste disposal of restaurant
|
82%
the employees said that there were no restrictions to the disposal of food
waste inside and outside of their establishment. Meaning, there were no rules
and ordinances to be followed when it comes to disposing their waste and they
are free to take it wherever they want to. However, 18% stated that they have
limitations in disposal of food waste.
INTERVIEW FOR MANAGERS/OWNERS
This
section discusses the result of the structured interview dedicated to owners or
managers of casual dining restaurants of four barangays within Malolos, responded
by 9 participants.
Question
1: What are the internal operations of your business? Do you think these
internal operations affect the amount of food waste that your establishment
produces?
“We buy our stocks daily.
Through this operation we avoid food waste.” -Owner/Manager of Stateside Diner
“… inventory, sa palagay ko hindi
masyado, kasi dito namin nalalaman kung ano ang mga food product na ubos na at
hindi masyadong mabenta.” -Mark Joseph Roxas,
Peaches and Cream Snackhauz
Question
2: What actions do your management take when you notice that customers have
large amount of leftovers?
“We do not implement some
rules that limit leftovers like adding charges for such.” –Anonymous (interviewee
does not want to be named)
“Minimizing quantity…” - Sheena
San Andres, Viaggo Café Bistro
“We charge for penalty for leftovers.” - Patrick
Chae, Chic King Restaurant
Question
3: How does food waste affect your business? Does it cost the restaurant a lot
of money?
“It doesn’t actually affect a
lot because food waste from the customers are being paid by them too.” -Anonymous
“Yes, especially food
spoilage/wastage” - Sheena San Andres, Viaggo Café Bistro
“Not really affect our
business. Not cost a lot of money” - Patrick Chae, Chic King Restaurant
Question
4: What factors restricts your disposal of food waste?
“Marketing needs due to customer
demand” - Sheena San Andres, Viaggo Café Bistro
“Don’t really matter” - Patrick
Chae, Chic King Restaurant
Question
5: Where does your establishment’s food waste go?
“It’s being collected by the
food waste collector.” -Anonymous
“May nag-uuwi para sa mga alagang hayop” - Mark
Joseph Roxas,, Peaches and Cream Snackhauz
“Para hindi naman masayang
ang mga natitirang pagkain, inuuwi naming ang mga ito upang ipakain sa mga aso.”
-Anonymous
“It goes to animal farm.” - Patrick
Chae, Chic King Restaurant
Question
6: Do you think imposing rules for leftover food minimize food waste of customers?
“Yes, most especially in
unlimited products by charging them.” - Sheena San Andres, Viaggo Café Bistro
“Yes, because implementing
such rules limit people from having leftovers that might cost them charges”
-Anonymous
CHAPTER
V
SUMMARY,
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This chapter presents the
summary of the findings, conclusions drawn from the findings and
recommendations of researchers.
This study was conducted with
the main objective of determining whether food waste generated from casual
dining restaurants is consumer-related or restaurant-related.
Specifically, this study
sought to answer the following questions:
1. What are casual dining restaurants?
2. What are the internal operations of casual dining
restaurants?
3. Where does food waste come from?
4. What are the factors contributing to the food waste induced
by casual dining restaurants?
5. How will this study help casual dining restaurants in
reducing food waste their establishment generates?
6. How will this study help the community?
7. What solutions can casual dining restaurants implement to
decrease the amount of food waste they generate?
SUMMARY
OF FINDINGS
The significant findings of the study
are as follows:
1. In the consumers’ perspective, the
researchers found out that:
1.1. The majority of the respondents
answered “Garnish” when asked which type of food was most likely to be left
uneaten when eating at casual dining restaurants, followed by “none” and
“vegetables”.
1.2. Only a small portion of the selected
type of food of the respondents were being left uneaten.
1.3. The main reason why the participants
leave this type of food they have chosen is because of its poor taste, followed
by having a large serving size and being a picky eater.
1.4. Most of the respondents chose to
take their leftovers home and some do not because they find it embarrassing or
no one will eat it at home.
1.5. A large portion of the sample thinks
that they contribute to the global food waste problem.
2. Through the data gathered by the researchers
from the crews or employees of casual dining restaurants from the four selected
barangays, the researchers were able to get the following outcomes:
2.1. In a span of one week, less than half of
the casual dining restaurants produce 1-2 trash bags of food waste.
2.2. The source of large amounts of food waste
comes from the customers’ plate with 78% while others said that it is from the
internal operations of their company with 22%.
2.3. Most of the crews answered “yes” (93%)
when asked if their management or employers conduct seminars/ training
regarding food waste management while the remaining said “no” (7%).
2.4. Majority of the restaurants administer
inventory/ storage checking and monitoring daily while the remaining said they
do this weekly or every other week.
2.5. The large portion of food waste that the
restaurants have generated ends up as feed or livestock for animals with 47%,
as donation with 33% and to landfill with 20%
3. Based on the interview of managers/
restaurant owners conducted by the researchers, the researchers were able to
accumulate the following results as follows:
3.1. When asked what the internal operations of
their business are and how it affects the amount of food waste they produce,
most of the interviewees mentioned storage monitoring as the key principle in
identifying the remaining amount of the products they use to produce dishes and
which of those are not in demand or suits the taste of the customers. Also,
purchasing stocks daily for some reduces the amount of food waste coming from
their internal operations.
3.2. Most of the interviewees implement
rules such as charging fees to those who have leftovers in order to limit their
food waste while others enforce changes within their offerings for instance,
minimizing its quantity.
3.3. According to the majority of
interviewees, it does not affect their business because customers paid for their
meals already but some agreed that it has an effect when it comes to food
spoilage.
3.4. Majority of the owners said that
there are no restrictions for food waste disposal meaning, they were free to
take their wastes wherever they want to.
3.5. Most of the food waste ends up as
feed for animals so that it will still have a significant use while some were
used in landfills.
3.6. All of the interviewees agreed that
imposing rules for leftovers will help in minimizing the food waste produced by
their restaurants as customers will be obliged to finish their food if they do
not want to pay for the designated fees.
CONCLUSIONS
The conclusions provide answers to the
research questions and objectives. They relate directly to the significance of
the study, which is always, in some way, to improve the human condition. The
following conclusions are as follows:
A casual dining restaurant is
traditionally defined as “a sit down” restaurant with a waiter service and a
moderate price point (Cruz, 2015). Casual dining restaurants are the food
establishments that lie between fast food chains and fine dining restaurants. These
restaurants are frequently, but not necessarily, themed. In Malolos, there are a lot of emerging
casual dining restaurants. As the study progresses, some of these restaurants
were involved in the study like Stateside Diner, Café del Congreso, Peaches and
Cream Snackhauz, etc. Along with the continuous increase in the number of
casual dining restaurants is the inflation in the amount of food waste
generated. There are a lot of different factors contributing to this issue but
main culprit is still unseen by many people.
Casual dining restaurants
have different operations that can alter what goes in and out of their
business. Internal operations include day-to-day functions that are essential
in generating profit and quality service like staff engagement, food
preparation, meal planning (portion sizing, presentation, etc.), and inventory
monitoring and checking. These operations are vital in decreasing the amount of
food wasted in each establishment.
Food waste is a global
problem. According to UNEP (2014), around one third of the food produced for
human consumption is lost or wasted globally. Food waste occurs across the
supply chain from farm to fork. This
dilemma arises from agriculture production, postharvest handling (storage,
transportation) processing, distribution (marketing, retailing), and
consumption specifically in the household level. 60% of the consumers involved in the study
think that they contribute to the global food waste problem. However, restaurants
have a fair share too. According to LeanPath, four to 10 percent of food
purchased by a restaurant or food service operation is discarded before ever
reaching a guest (as cited by National Restaurant Association, 2012). Consumers
and internal operations of restaurants now work hand-in-hand to contribute to the
production of food waste.
Based on the findings of the
study, the amount of food waste produced by casual dining restaurants can be caused
by both legalities and consumers. Confusing food safety policies is considered
as another food waste driver (Hogan 2016). According to the survey conducted
for employees/crews, 80% of them think that food waste generally comes from
their customers. As shown on a part of the study, 23% of consumers surveyed
answered that they are picky eaters when asked why they leave food when eating
at casual dining restaurants. However, there are certain factors on why they
can’t finish their food. Most of these factors were influenced by internal
operations of casual dining restaurants like the quality and quantity of the
dish. Moreover, there are other factors that contribute to this growing
dilemma: staff engagement, food storage, and meal planning (as stated on the
research’s conceptual framework).
For staff engagement, lack of awareness about
the issue of food waste and management’s measures regarding the problem among
the staff and crew lead to more wastage. As an example, stated by Cook (2016),
some restaurants tend to fill the pans even right before the closing despite the fact
of preparing food more than needed in order to satisfy customers. Also, the
hardest part for many restaurants may just be getting the workers to become
aware of how much edible food they waste every day (Barclay, 2012a). Some
consumers state that they leave the food when it’s toasted or burned by the
cook. In addition to this, according to Maguire (2016), poor management skills
can be a driver of restaurant food waste. Meanwhile, according to a study
conducted by Food Waste IE (2010a), a recycling system that can involve the
staff, crews and employees can lead to a 44% reduction in waste costs. Moreover,
7% of the casual dining restaurants involved in the study are not conducting
seminars nor trainings regarding food waste. This could all add up to the total
amount of food waste.
With regards to food storage, according to
Tuppen (2014), 21% of the food waste generated in hotels’ food services come
from spoilage. Also, based on Shakman’s observation, CEO of LeanPath, most
pre-consumer food waste is due to four factors and two of those are expiration
and spoilage. Based on the inquiry done by Derqui, Fayos and Fernandez (2016),
in the storage process, stock management and permanent control were mentioned
as critical issues. This situation is being experienced by 24% of casual dining
restaurants surveyed in the selected barangays in Malolos. This 24% of the
casual dining restaurants only conduct inventory monitoring and checking every
other week. The percentage may be little, but it can leave a huge impact, the
reason it should be prevented. The owner of Stateside Diner also added that
they buy stocks daily. Through this operation, their restaurant avoids food
waste.
When it comes to meal
planning, food preparation is said to be one of the major contributors of food
waste with the rate of 45% (Tuppen, 2014). Portion sizing, meal presentation, and repurposing of
ingredients is said to be great source of food waste (King, 2014). According to
the study of Lee (2015), results showed that service size, better food options,
better food quality and value of meal plan are main factors of food waste. Accordingly,
32% of consumers who eat at casual dining restaurants leave food because of the
poor taste of the dish. 25% points out that the serving size is too big.
Another 13% indicates that the picture on the menu doesn’t depict the actual
product. Moreover, some also thought of salad garnishes as ornamental, rather
than something to eat, as stated by King (2014). As a result, 27% of the same
consumers state that they leave garnish when eating at casual dining
restaurants. Reduction efforts should also include meal calculation. According
to Balakrishnan, he suggested that restaurants or food service providers can
reduce waste in the long run if they will make an effort to prepare, bearing in
mind consumer demand (as cited in Ghandi and Singh, 2015, p.11). Some of the
most preferred action is reducing the volume of surplus food generated that
means adapting supply to meet expected demand for food more precisely (Kline,
2017).
In evaluation, food waste
cannot be diminished easily but it can be gradually decreased through the
implementation of this study’s proposed solutions at the latter part of the
study.
Food waste is mostly caused
by internal factors in the business. This study can be shared to restaurant
owners and managers to help them reduce food waste while increasing their
profit in the process. They can make adjustments to their operations based on
the results of the study. Restaurant food waste often comes low on the lengthy
list of priorities; however, this research will open their eyes on the food
waste their establishment produces. Having everything laid out will be beneficial to the
management. As it happens, a clean plate may be a valuable feedback to the
restaurant.
Customers, on the other hand,
are a much complex subject when it comes to this matter since no two customers
are the same. Their preferences, views, and perceptions may differ depending on
their lifestyle and beliefs. Despite of that, the study can be also shared to
consumers to help them realize the implications of the food they leave whether
or not they eat at casual dining restaurants. It is one of the researchers’ optimistic
objectives to lead consumers in their change of habits. Eradicating wasteful
consumption habits will benefit the environment, benefitting the community in
the long run.
As Lee (2015) stated, it’s
time to rethink restaurant food waste. Food waste is something that the world
has been dealing with but lacks attention that’s why its implications are left
unsettled.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings and
conclusions drawn from the study, the following recommendations are suggested
by the researchers:
·
Implications
for the government
To decrease the amount of
food waste, the government should implement a specific law that can be beneficial
to others. In Italy, there is a law implemented that enables different
establishments to donate clean surpluses and
leftovers to those in need. In Belgium, there is a city that requires
supermarkets to donate their surpluses to food banks. And in Japan, there is a
“Food Recycling Law” which requires food businesses to convert their food wastage
into raw materials for animals feed and fertilizers (Rodriguez, 2015).
Laws about donating food
surpluses could also be implemented in the Philippines as well as ordinances
regarding the minimum amount of leftovers allowed per restaurant to solve the
problems with food waste.
·
Implications
for the consumers
Consumers must
keep in mind that food waste has a big impact on our community for it can cause
a huge economic loss. To avoid food waste, consumers should know the amount of
the food that they will eat. If there are leftovers, choose to bring this at
home or give it to those who need it (pets and homeless people).
·
Implications
for casual dining restaurant owners and employees
Food spoilage is
one of the reasons why food waste occurs in restaurants. Properly securing the
ingredients of dishes will most likely avoid food spoilage. Along with the
monitoring of supplies is the maintenance of the place where it is stored.
Checking the cleanliness and temperature of the storage will make sure that the
ingredients are safe to be used and consumed. The First-in, First-out Method
(FIFO) has been suggested by many food businesses which can help with the
freshness of the supplies. The goods that are first purchased and stored are
also the ones to be used and sold first. This can help prevent food spoilage
and lessen the amount of food wasted.
Portion sizes and
taste can also affect the amount of leftovers from the customers. Restaurants
can provide a standard size for their items and enhance their products to make
it more appealing to the eyes of their customers. When it comes to the
ingredients, planning ahead is key. Going along with a plan will help the
management have less errors when it comes to their business. The amount of
ingredients to be stocked and used for production should be precise to have a
smaller amount of waste.
Charging
customers for having too much leftovers for some items (those which are
unlimited or bottomless) could also be done to reduce food waste. Owners could
also think of other alternatives to where they would choose to bring their food
waste. Anaerobic digestion, composting, and converting to fertilizers are some
of the options to where food waste could go.
·
Recommendations
for future researchers
In collecting
data, a smaller margin of error could be used in order to have more samples and
a larger representation of the population which could lead to more accurate
results.
Further study
about the laws implemented is suggested to determine its effects on the
disposal processes of casual dining restaurants. Research could also be
conducted to find out if casual dining restaurants could benefit and generate
profit from their food waste disposal (donating to organizations, using it as
landfill, etc.)
Conduct fieldwork
with a wider scope, covering other internal operations like purchasing
ingredients and financial controls.
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Gavilan, J. 2016. Senate bill:
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Gibble, E. 2010. 10 Simple Ways to
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CURRICULUM
VITAE
“For
I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and
not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”- Jeremiah 29:11
Name: John Henry C. Fajardo
Strand: Accountancy, Business
and Management
Birthday: October 23,1999 Age:
17 years old
Address: Lot 3 Block 14
Maunlad Homes Subdivison, Masipag St., City of Malolos, Bulacan
Course in College: Bachelor
of Arts in Broadcast Communication
“Research is worth every penny
that you spend. Research can be
difficult because it can come in conflict with your studies.. Being a
researcher is not an easy job, you need to work hard and put effort on your
research. This is the answer to have the best result on your study. Time is
gold in research, but research is golder if you’ve completed it with a virtuous
output.”
#TheFoodandTheWaste #WEFINDWASTE
CURRICULUM
VITAE
“God believes in you when
nobody else does.”
Name: Lorraine Alyssa G. Ramos
Strand: Accountancy, Business and Management
Birthday: November 25, 1999 Age:
17
Address: 19 P. Del Congreso St. San Gabriel, City of
Malolos, Bulacan
Course in College: Bachelor of Science in Accountancy
“Research
is really hard but with determination, perseverance, team work, and help from
God comes new discoveries and success to make a difference and innovation that will
be beneficial for everyone.”
#NoToFoodWaste #sohelpusGod #WEFINDWASTE
CURRICULUM VITAE
“I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me.”
-Philippians 4:13
Name: Rebekah Anne R. Razal
Strand: Accountancy, Business and Management
Birthday: November 10, 1999 Age:
17 years old
Address: Block 4 Lot 1 Domsal Subdivision, Bulihan, City of
Malolos, Bulacan
Course in College: Bachelor of Arts in Clothing Technology
“Research
is a systematical study conducted in order to achieve a certain goal and
purpose. Studies can lead to new discoveries and innovations which can be
beneficial to us. It involves various steps and procedures that will help with
the effectivity of your field work. Research is the reason why we have what we
have now and may be the reason for us to have what we’ll have in the future.
Conducting a research could be exhausting but nothing could compare to the
feeling of accomplishment after everything is done.”
#ATasteofFoodWaste #NoToFoodWaste
#WaysOutOfWaste #WEFINDWASTE
CURRICULUM VITAE
“Every
good and perfect gift comes from above.”
-James
1:17
Name: Ma. Gieline Y. Toribio
Strand: Accountancy, Business
and Management
Birthday: December 12, 1999 Age: 17 years
old
Address: #57 Ten. Toribio
Vinta St., Mabolo, Malolos, Bulacan
Course in college: Bachelor
of Science in Accountancy
“Research is feeding one’s
curiosity and of those who read it. It may be hard but always remember the
saying, ‘What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’. Don’t forget to pick a
topic close to your heart. Work gets lighter when you do. Never forget God is
cheering and supporting us, always.”
#NoToFoodWaste #NoToTakawMata
#WEFINDWASTE
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