Wouldn’t it be nice if you could predetermine the exact number of guests that will visit your restaurant on a given day? What if you had advanced notice of the specific items they will choose from your menu? If you could know the precise amount of ingredients to order, then no food would ever be left-over and wasted at closing time.

But, as much as we can track consumer behaviors and ordering patterns, much of it is still a mystery, so operators are constantly faced with a waste problem. Throwing away food means you’re also tossing your profits out with each trip to the garbage –essentially trashing your bottom line.

As operators are trying to be more efficient in managing raw material costs, they are turning to food waste and spoilage initiatives. Some are trying innovative ways to maximize yield, while others offer limited, seasonally based ingredients, or lean on ingredient optimization to handle waste management.

According to Datassential, food costs are highest for entrées at 41%, which certainly makes sense considering these are often protein focused dishes. As a result, chefs have been experimenting with the “nose-to-tail” concept as they introduce new cuts of meat and exciting preparation methods to expectant foodies; addressing their operation’s waste issue at the same time.

But, chefs who have operational constraints that keep them from tapping into the “nose-to-tail” concept, can borrow from waste reduction initiatives like this to transform other parts of the menu like their dessert offerings.