Tackling Food Waste in Casinos

Tackling Food Waste in Casinos

The hospitality sector includes a diverse mix of businesses, most of which have some sort of food service component, which also means waste. It is estimated that customer-facing businesses, including restaurants and other food service within the hospitality sector, contribute 18 million tons annually or approximately 20% of the total food wasted in the U.S.¹ Of the surplus food generated by customer-facing business, only 10% is donated or recycled.¹ This is a challenge and a significant opportunity for improvement. Now, let’s talk casinos.

Casinos might be one of the most unique parts of the hospitality industry, where lodging, food, entertainment, shopping, spa, gaming, meetings, and various other amenities all come together for a complete getaway experience. According to American Gaming, there are a total of 1,011 casinos in the U.S. This includes 525 in tribal gaming states and 486 in commercial gaming states.² An average casino often has a hotel, and can have multiple restaurants, bars, snack bars, and other dining options for guests.

One thing casinos, and the rest of hospitality industry have in common is food waste, and casinos generate a lot of it! In fact, Las Vegas alone is estimated to produce five billion pounds of wasted food each year, with the majority going to landfills.³ Although spoilage causes some food waste, overproduction, mostly from buffets and catering guarantees, causes over 50% of food waste in hospitality kitchens, and this is no different for casinos.⁴

Did you know?

Wasting food has costs associated with it. Food waste-related costs for U.S. restaurants total an estimated $162 billion annually.⁵ Buffets are especially costly because an “all-you-eat-mindset” leads customers to perceive value as “more is better,” which inevitably leads to waste. The other cost that is often forgotten is the environmental one to grow, process, transport, and prepare food only to have it sent to a landfill.

Now, the good news. Many casinos are tackling food waste holistically, looking at opportunities to reduce food waste, then responsibly manage the rest through recycling. The value of reducing and recycling food waste – for businesses and the environment – are being recognized, and as a result operations are being adjusted. The more efficiently food can be managed, the lower the cost impact is to the business. This means following the EPA Wasted Food Scale guidance to reduce waste on the front end, upcycle or donate as much as possible, then recycle the rest. ⁶

Did you know?

Denali provides customized food waste recycling service for casinos, including the right collection bin type, locations, and collection schedule to fit a casino’s needs. Denali also provides recycling data that can be used by a casino – and its foods service locations to identify opportunities to reduce and recycle more.

How to take action:

  • Use tools and technologies to increase food prep efficiency. Many commercial ovens come with features that make it easier to cook with precision and reduce the chance of errors. Another example is using induction warmers on buffets, which can keep food at optimum temperatures longer.⁷
  • Make changes on the buffet or continental breakfast line to encourage people to “eat what you take.” People tend to overfill and overeat at buffets, so consider providing smaller plates to encourage people to eat everything they take before going up for more. Also, provide food that is more likely to be fully eaten, such as mini-muffins or bagels instead of full-sized bread. And if not eaten, less will be wasted.
  • Measure and report food not used for its intended purpose or being wasted. Make sure to track “waste” from all processes, which also might come from separate programs and service providers. Upcycled, donations, recycled, and trash can show opportunities for improvement.
  • After waste prevention, upcycling, and donation, recycle inedible, wasted food. Diverting food from landfills is an important part of any responsible waste management program. There are several pathways that can recycle wasted food, with a potential of taking compostable eat ware and/or packaging too. Find a service provider that can provide options to fit your food waste recycling needs.
  • Use data to improve. Use all data from different dispositions – upcycling, donations, and recycling – to look at improvement opportunities comprehensively. Ordering adjustments, menu changes, creative upcycling of uneaten food, and rightsizing can help reduce food waste overall. Trash waste audit data can show where better recycling execution needs to occur – and recycling data can also help to drive upstream waste reduction.
Did you know?

Denali can collect all food waste, including packaged items, to simplify the process to recycle. The valuable food components are mechanically separated from the packaged material and are converted into compost, which can then be used in gardens or on farms to improve soil health and robust yields.

If you are a business or manufacturer that would like to learn more about recycling your food byproducts or other organic waste streams, contact Denali for more information. We can help you set up a customized program to fit your service needs, organic waste streams, and provide the best value.

About Denali
Denali is the leading and largest organics recycling company in the U.S. on a mission to replenish the Earth by repurposing waste. Our work is essential to keeping water clean, reducing the need for new landfill capacity, building soil fertility, helping farmers be more resilient, and reducing society’s reliance on fossil fuels. Our services and products touch thousands of acres, hundreds of locales, millions of tons of material, and nearly every person who purchases and consumes food in the U.S.

1. ReFED

2. American Gaming

3. Las Vegas Review Journal

4. LeanPath

5. RTS

6. EPA Wasted Food Scale

7. Ovention