Enjoy more, waste less. Exploring the food waste management practices of buffet restaurants in South Africa (SA): A case of The Quarterdeck Restaurant, GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World, Cape Town.

Abstract

This research adopted an explanatory approach to investigate how The Quarterdeck Restaurant conducts its food waste management program to minimise the effect of food waste on the environment. The researcher used the Food Waste Hierarchy and Keller’s Brand Equity Model as the basis for this study. The 140-seater buffet restaurant situated at GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World, serves lunch and dinner only. The research was focused over a seven-day trading period, during dinner service only. A qualitative approach was used to conduct interviews with operational management, including health and safety management. A focus group was also conducted with customers that frequent The Quarterdeck Restaurant. Results showed that The Quarterdeck restaurant enacted reasonable steps to mitigate food waste. It found that existing improvements in staff education, communication, portion and stock control, smaller plate size and more efficient demand forecasting would have a positive impact. Customers showed a general apathy towards the destination of leftover food on the buffet after service. There are opportunities for increased awareness and customer education programmes. The research revealed that an efficient waste service provider with updated technology, well trained staff and a service level agreement would be beneficial. In the case, of The Quarterdeck Restaurant, this was a major stumbling block, resulting in missing their zero waste to landfill targets. The pursuant of innovative solutions like worm farm technology must be embraced. Buffet restaurants, by their very nature, are highly waste generative, but innovative opportunities exist for food to be repurposed for human consumption to avoid food wastage and provide food donations to the local community.