Restaurants Tackling Food Waste | A Guide to Sustainable Dining Out

Japan's Food Waste Crisis | Challenges Facing the Food Service Industry

Japan's annual food waste is approximately 4.72 million tons (estimated for fiscal 2022), which calculates to about 103 grams of discarded food per person per day. Of this, approximately 600,000 tons originate from the food service industry, accounting for roughly 20% of business-sector food waste. The primary causes in restaurants include uneaten food, over-preparation, and disposal of expired ingredients.

Food waste in the food service industry stems from structural problems. Restaurants tend to over-prepare based on demand forecasts to avoid the opportunity loss of running out of items. In buffet-style restaurants, continuous food replenishment until closing hours generates massive waste. At banquets, meals are uniformly provided according to reservation numbers, with average food waste rates reaching 14%.

However, the situation is changing dramatically in recent years. Following the enactment of the "Food Loss Reduction Promotion Act" in 2019, collaborative efforts involving government, businesses, and consumers have accelerated. Growing awareness of SDG Goal 12, "Responsible Production and Consumption," has also boosted momentum, with numerous restaurants now positioning food waste reduction as a core business pillar.

Leading Initiatives | Restaurants Aiming for Zero Waste

inua, located in Daikanyama, Tokyo (closed in 2023), set a goal of utilizing 98% of its ingredients during operations, gaining attention for techniques that converted typically discarded vegetable scraps and trimmings into fermented and dried seasonings and garnishes. This "whole food" concept has now spread to numerous restaurants.

Sustainable Kitchen ROSY, located in Chuo Ward, Osaka, actively procures vegetables and fish discarded as non-standard by markets and serves them as creative dishes. Misshapen vegetables taste no different once cut and cooked. By reducing sourcing costs, the restaurant can offer lunch at the reasonable price point of 1,000–1,500 yen.

Kura Sushi, a conveyor belt sushi chain, has implemented an AI-powered demand forecasting system that optimizes the quantity of sushi conveyed on the belt based on time of day, day of the week, and weather data. This initiative has successfully reduced food waste by approximately 12%. The "Bikkura Pon" game, offered once every four plates, is also part of a mechanism to increase tray collection efficiency and reduce waste.

Startbucks has been operating "Too Good To Be Wasted" in select stores since 2022, offering food items at a 20% discount during the final hours before closing. Bakeries and cake shops are similarly expanding end-of-day discounted sales.

Technology Transforming Food Waste Reduction

Technology plays an increasingly significant role in food waste reduction. The most accessible service is TABETE. This matching service allows customers to purchase surplus food at discounted prices via an app just before closing, with over 2,000 participating restaurants nationwide. Meals are available at 300–680 yen per serving, and the service has attracted over 1 million cumulative users.

Similarly, Reduce GO offers a subscription service at 1,980 yen per month, allowing customers to collect surplus food from partner restaurants twice daily. Primarily operating in the Tokyo area, regular users can achieve an astounding 33 yen per meal.

AI demand forecasting services for restaurants are also flourishing. HANZO analyzes past sales data, weather, event information, and SNS trends to predict customer traffic and ordered menus. Restaurants using the system report an average 30% reduction in food procurement waste. Monthly fees start at 10,000 yen, making it accessible for small to medium-sized restaurants.

Composting technology is also advancing. Small composting units that convert restaurant food waste into compost in 24 hours are available at 100,000–300,000 yen and are increasingly adopted in both restaurants and homes. Some restaurants have established circular systems by supplying generated compost to contract farms and sourcing ingredients from those same farms.

What Consumers Can Do | Practical Guide for Sustainable Dining

Restaurant food waste reduction is significantly influenced by consumer behavior. The most fundamental practice is to "order only what you can finish." Most people have experienced ordering too much at an izakaya. Starting with smaller portions and ordering more if needed—this mindset alone can drastically reduce food waste.

Utilizing "takeout" options is also effective. Since 2020, an increasing number of restaurants have accommodated leftover takeout. "mottECO," promoted by Japan's Ministry of the Environment, is a campaign to establish leftover takeout as a cultural norm, with participating restaurants displaying stickers. While food safety remains a personal responsibility, takeout risks are considered low, particularly during winter months.

If you cannot make a reservation, always cancel as early as possible. Food waste from no-shows (cancellations without notice) amounts to approximately 10 billion yen annually. Most food for reservations is already prepared by the reservation time, so delayed cancellations increase waste. Cancellations made by the previous day allow ingredients to be repurposed for other uses.

For banquets or parties, keep the "30-10 Movement" in mind. This campaign encourages participants to focus on eating during the first 30 minutes and final 10 minutes of an event, reducing food waste by approximately 30%. Event organizers should mention this initiative to attendees beforehand.

Sustainable Food's Future and Our Choices

Food waste reduction is not merely a matter of avoiding wastefulness; it is critically important for climate change mitigation. Food waste-related activities account for 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. If food waste were a single country, it would rank as the world's third-largest CO2 emitter, after China and the United States.

Japan's government has set a goal to halve food waste by fiscal 2030 compared to fiscal 2000 levels. Achieving this requires initiatives across production, distribution, retail, food service, and consumption stages, but behavioral change in the food service industry and among consumers is particularly crucial.

Also noteworthy is the emerging category of "upcycled foods." Beer brewing byproducts such as spent grain are processed into bread and confectionery, coffee grounds become substrate for mushroom cultivation, and okara is powdered for use in cookies and noodles. Such initiatives that give new value to byproducts traditionally discarded are spreading.

Choosing sustainable dining is neither a sacrifice nor a restriction. Creative dishes made from non-standard vegetables inspire with their ingenuity, and discovering discounted items near closing time offers the joy of treasure hunting. Participating in social issues through food transforms meals into richer, more meaningful experiences. Each individual's small choice becomes the power to create a sustainable food future. SOROU.JP also provides information about restaurants implementing sustainable practices, so please refer to it as well.