How to Reduce Food Waste in Your Restaurant (and Keep the Savings)

Food waste is one of the most expensive problems in any kitchen — and one of the easiest to ignore because it never shows up as a single line on your P&L. Industry studies put it at 4–10% of total food purchases. On a restaurant doing 1,000,000 EGP a year in food, that's 40,000–100,000 EGP walking into the bin.

Where the waste actually comes from

• Over-ordering — buying more than you can use before it spoils.
• Over-prepping — cutting and cooking more than the day needs.
• Poor storage — items expiring at the back of the fridge.
• Inconsistent portions — every cook plating a different amount.

A simple system that works

1. Set par levels. For each ingredient, decide the minimum and maximum you should ever hold. Order back up to par — never "just in case."

2. Use FIFO. First in, first out. Label deliveries with the date and always use the oldest stock first.

3. Track what you throw away. For two weeks, write down everything binned and why. The top three items will surprise you — and tell you exactly where to act.

4. Standardize portions. Use scoops, ladles, and scales so a dish costs the same every time.

5. Repurpose smartly. Trim and off-cuts become stocks, specials, and staff meals instead of trash.

Make it stick with data

The reason waste creeps back is that nobody can see it. When your inventory is tracked — quantities, costs, and usage per dish — you instantly notice when 8 kg of chicken "disappears" against what you actually sold.

Wizzora links your inventory to your recipes, so every order automatically deducts the ingredients it should use. The gap between expected and actual usage is your waste — measured, not guessed.

Start a free 14-day trial and turn waste into margin.