Waste percentage
Waste percentage is the value of food discarded divided by total food purchases. Measuring it requires a log, not an estimate — kitchens consistently underestimate waste until they write it down, at which point the number is usually two to three times the guess.
Formula
Waste % = Value of food discarded ÷ Total food purchases × 100
The 90-second waste log
A clipboard by the bin. Four columns: item, approximate quantity, reason, initials. Reasons are a fixed short list — spoiled, overproduced, prep error, cook error, returned. Nothing else. The discipline that makes it work is that it takes fifteen seconds per entry and no one has to look anything up.
| Reason | Root cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Spoiled | Par levels too high, or rotation failing | Lower pars; audit FIFO |
| Overproduced | Prep list not tied to forecast | Prep to a covers forecast, not to habit |
| Prep error | Spec unclear or training gap | Fix the recipe card first |
| Cook error | Volume, or a station out of its depth | Look at staffing on the shifts it clusters in |
| Returned | Menu description, portioning, or quality | The dish, not the kitchen |
The guide that works it through
Why Is My Food Cost So High? A Diagnostic
Seven causes of a high restaurant food cost, in the order they're usually the answer — with the check that confirms or eliminates each one in under an hour.
Related terms
Spoilage
Product lost to age, temperature or damage before it could be sold.
Trim loss
The weight removed during preparation — the difference between what you bought and what you can cook.
Variance
The dollar gap between theoretical and actual food cost — the money that left without a sale.
Par level
The quantity of an item you want on hand at the start of each order cycle — enough to cover demand plus a safety buffer.
FIFO (first in, first out)
Using oldest stock first — the rotation discipline that prevents most spoilage.