Profiling Food Waste in the Hospitality Industry by Exploring Restaurant Managers' Attitudes

Abstract

Most hospitality establishments are aiming at eliminating avoidable FW as a vital part of their cost control program. This action seems to be a standard and efficient tool in cutting operational costs. This research aims to track and identify the main reasons and sources of FW in the hospitality industry, identify top food categories related to FW and major FW causes in restaurants, determine the restaurant's opportunities to reduce the amount of wasted food and investigate restaurant managers' attitudes toward FW management concept, FW practices and guest's plate waste. Depending on the descriptive method, the research was accomplished through interviewing 47 restaurant's managers in Alexandria to determine the primary sources of restaurants' FW. The research questionnaire was developed to collect data from managers in restaurants that serves multi choices in their food menus and offers the opportunity to dine in. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested by calculating Cronbach's Alpha value (0.766). Statistical techniques of descriptive statistics were used. The research findings confirmed that there are positive attitudes toward FW management concepts, practices and profitable actions among restaurants' managers.