Food Waste in Food Service: Figures, Regulations and Solutions
CSR & Carbon · July 1, 2025 · By Alex Dondelinger · 5 min read
Every day, 13% of French food waste comes from restaurants. In 2024, France produces about 9.4 million tonnes of food waste each year, of which around 12% comes from the food service sector. This waste carries a considerable cost, around 68 cents per meal served, a financial challenge as much as an environmental one. Faced with this, restaurateurs and purchasing managers now have concrete solutions to reduce these losses.
What Is Food Waste in Food Service?
According to ADEME (the French agency for ecological transition) and the FAO, food waste in food service covers all food thrown away during preparation and service, as well as unsold items. It therefore includes kitchen surpluses, plate leftovers and expired goods.
Key Figures 2024-2025
- Around 9.4 million tonnes of food waste per year in France.
- 12% of food waste comes specifically from food service.
- Institutional catering wastes an average of 100 grams per diner.
- The average cost of waste per meal is estimated at €0.68.
Legal Framework: The AGEC Law & 2025 Obligations
The AGEC law (anti-waste law for a circular economy) requires a 50% reduction in food waste by December 31, 2025. Restaurants must comply with 7-stream waste sorting, and since 2023 fast-food establishments have been required to use only reusable tableware. Failure to meet these obligations can lead to significant penalties.
Why do restaurants waste food?
| Over-ordering caused by poor stock management |
| Imprecise forecasts of the quantities needed |
| Portions that are too generous |
| Poor management of use-by dates (DLC) |
| Shortcomings in internal organization and team training |
Measuring Your Restaurant's Food Waste: Method & KPIs
Effective food waste management rests above all on measuring it precisely and regularly. To do this, restaurateurs must start by systematically weighing their food losses to understand exactly where and when they occur. This data must then be recorded on detailed tracking sheets that clearly identify the recurring causes of waste. It is also essential to calculate a key indicator: the waste cost per cover ratio, which gives a direct view of the financial impact of waste in the establishment. Finally, to simplify this process and make the results easier to analyze, using specialized digital dashboards, such as those offered by Fullsoon, allows quick, clear and actionable visualization of all this data.
♻️ Measure to reduce: our partner Kikleo (waste weighing)
To go from one-off actions to a lasting reduction in waste, equip your kitchens with a connected scale and analytical tracking of losses. That is precisely the purpose of Kikleo, a Fullsoon partner, which makes weighing frictionless and makes the causes easy to read (overproduction, returns, tray leftovers).
What Kikleo does
- A connected scale in the kitchen to weigh losses automatically (effortless diagnosis).
- Dashboards to quantify and prioritize actions (dishes/teams/moments).
- Camera + AI (dining room side) to analyze tray leftovers and fine-tune portions.
Discover Kikleo → How to use it with Fullsoon
- Set up a weighing plan (kitchen & dining room) over 4–6 weeks to establish a baseline.
- Compare losses against AI forecasts and actual sales to detect overproduction and portions to adjust.
- Track savings (ingredients, CO₂) and progress by site weekly to lock in the gains.
Good to know: fine-grained waste measurement feeds your purchasing decisions, your recipe cards and your team briefings, it is a direct lever for margin and CSR image. 🔎 Transparency: Fullsoon does not handle DLC management (use-by dates). For that need, use the dedicated module of your POS/WMS or a specialized tool, then use the consolidated data in your purchasing & production routines.
12 Operational Levers Against Waste
1 Optimize stock management with specialized software. 2 Use AI forecasting to anticipate demand precisely. 3 Adjust portions based on customer feedback. 4 Put a strict DLC management policy in place. 5 Train staff regularly in anti-waste practices. 6 Offer doggy bags to customers. 7 Make use of leftovers in the kitchen with daily specials. 8 Develop partnerships with anti-waste apps (Phenix, TooGoodToGo). 9 Donate unsold items to local charities. 10 Set up a reduced, dynamic menu to limit excess stock. 11 Introduce reusable packaging. 12 Raise customer awareness through responsible communication.
Predicting Demand With Data & AI
Advanced technology solutions such as those offered by Fullsoon combine historical data, weather and local events to accurately predict supply needs. With 94% accuracy, these forecasts optimize purchasing and increase gross margins by up to 8% while significantly reducing food waste (up to €1,000 in savings per month).
Making Use of Unsold Items: Donations & Anti-Waste Apps
Apps like TooGoodToGo let restaurants resell surplus at a discount. In parallel, Fullsoon offers a free module that makes it easier to donate food to charities, strengthening the eco-responsible image of establishments.
Frequently Asked Questions About Food Waste in Food Service
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the AGEC law require of restaurateurs?
The AGEC law requires restaurateurs to cut food waste by 50% by the end of 2025, to sort biowaste, and, since 2023, to use only reusable tableware in fast-food establishments.
How do I measure waste effectively in my restaurant?
To measure your waste effectively, regularly weigh food losses precisely, record them on detailed tracking sheets, and use digital dashboards that make analysis and decision-making easier.
What are the main causes of food waste in food service?
The main causes are over-ordering, portions that are too generous, poor management of use-by dates (DLC), a lack of precise demand forecasting, and faulty internal organization or insufficient team training.
How can Fullsoon help my establishment reduce food waste?
Fullsoon combines advanced predictive algorithms with smart, automated stock management, and also makes it easier to make use of unsold items through donations or resale via partner apps, effectively reducing waste while improving your profitability.