Foodservice Methodology

Scope Boundary

This diagram communicates the scope boundary as aligned with the Food Loss and Waste Accounting and Reporting Standard[17]. Note that ReFED’s analysis also includes food sent to donations, although donations are not considered a destination within the Standard.

NOTES

• “Food Donation” has been added as a Destination

• “Biomaterial Processing is referred to as “Industrial Uses” in our model

• “Co/anaerobic digestion” is referred to as “Anaerobic digestion” in our model

• “Controlled Combustion” is referred to as “Incineration” in our model

• “Refuse/discards” is referred to as “Dumping” in our model

Calculations

Surplus Food Calculations

Master Surplus Equation:

Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus

+ Tons Onsite Plate Waste

+ Tons Catering Overproduction

+ Tons Catering Plate Waste

————————————————

= Tons Foodservice Surplus

In ReFED’s data model, the following calculations are repeated for every state, year, and foodservice segment before any aggregation is done.

Table 13. Calculations Performed to Quantify U.S. Foodservice Surplus Food

DATA ITEM	DATA SOURCE OR CALCULATION	EXAMPLE
SUPPLIER PURCHASES AND CUSTOMER SALES
National Purchases from Suppliers	Technomic Ignite Platform[44]	$32,802,753,378 U.S. Burger location purchases from suppliers and distributors
National US Dollars Sold	Technomic Ignite Platform[44]	$99,542,847,400 U.S. Burger location sales
State % Share of Supplier Purchases	= # State Locations for Top 500 Restaurants[44] / # US Locations for Top 500 Restaurants[44]	11.44% of U.S. Burger locations in Texas
% In-scope Igredients	ReFED Calculation See Appendix O for more information	ReFED estimates that 93.71% of menu ingredients are in-scope food ingredients (e.g., excludes soft drinks, bottled water, etc.)
US Dollars State Supplier Purchases	= National Purchases from Suppliers * State % Share of Supplier Purchases * % In-scope Ingredients	= $32,802,753,378 U.S. Burger location purchases * 11.44% Texas market share * 93.71% in-scope = $3,517,642,650 estimated Burger location purchases in Texas
US Dollars Sold	= National Purchases from Suppliers * State % Share of Supplier Purchases * % In-scope Ingredients	= $99,542,847,400 U.S. Burger location sales * 11.44% Texas market share * 93.71% in-scope = $10,674,596,780 estimated Burger location sales in Texas
Wholesale Price per Lb	ReFED Calculation See Appendix O for more information	ReFED estimates that the average wholesale price of food for Burger locations in 2021 was $1.72 per lb.
State Tons Supplier Purchases	= US Dollars State Supplier Purchases / Wholesale Price per Lb / 2,000 Lbs per ton	= $3,517,642,650 state supplier purchases / $1.72 per lb / 2,000 lbs per ton = 1,024,190 tons of food purchased from suppliers for Burger locations in Texas
Pre-Consumer Surplus Rate	LeanPath[30]	4.20% of food spend not utilized by kitchens
Tons Sold	= State Tons Supplier Purchases * ( 100% - Pre-Consumer Surplus Rate )	= 1,024,190 tons of food purchased from suppliers * (100% - 4.20% ) = 981,174 tons sold to customers at Burger locations in Texas
PRE-CONSUMER FOOD SURPLUS
Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus Includes both unutilized ingredients and overproduction	= State Tons Supplier Purchases * Pre-Consumer Surplus Rate	= 1,024,190 tons food purchased from suppliers * 4.20% surplus rate = 43,015 tons pre-consumer surplus at Burger locations in Texas
% of Pre-Consumer Surplus that is Overproduction	LeanPath[30]	48.05% of pre-consumer surplus for the Limited Service Restaurants sector is due to overproduction.
Tons Overproduction	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus * % of Pre-Consumer Surplus that is Overproduction	= 43,015 tons pre-consumer surplus * 48.05% overproduction = 20,669 tons Overproduction
Average Menu Retail Price per Lb	= US Dollars Sold / Tons Sold / 2,000 lbs per ton	= $10,674,596,780 sold / 981,174 tons sold / 2,000 lbs per ton = $5.44 retail value per lb sold
US Dollars Overproduction	= Tons Overproduction * Average Menu Retail Price per Lb Note: Overproduction is valued at retail rather than wholesale price, because it is ready to sell to a customer.	= 20,669 tons overproduction * $5.44 retail value per lb sold * 2,000 lbs per ton = $224,873,195 overproduction
Tons Unutilized Ingredients	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus - Tons Overproduction	= 43,015 tons Pre-Consumer Surplus - 20,669 tons Overproduction = 22,346 tons unutilized ingredients at Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
US Dollars Unutilized Ingredients	The following calculation was performed for each menu ingredient, as wholesale prices vary for each ingredient: = Tons Unutilized Ingredients * % of Menu Comprised of Ingredient * Ingredient Wholesale Price per Lb * 2,000 lbs per ton	Total sum of all unutilized ingredients: = $76,749,967
CATERING OVERPRODUCTION
Breakdown of Sales by Customer Distribution Channel	Technomic Ignite Platform[44]	For Burger locations in 2021: Take-out: 77.25% Onsite Dining: 16.41% Catering: 6.34% ——————- Total: 100%
% Catering Overproduction	ReFED Expert Interviews See Appendix Q for more information	Experts estimate that 38% of food is typically left unserved at breakfast or lunch catering events.
Tons Catering Sold	= Tons Sold * % Catering	= 981,174 tons sold * 6.34% of sales is catering = 62,159
Tons Catering Overproduction	= Tons Catering Sold * % Catering Overproduction Note: All Catering Overproduction was listed as “Prepared Foods” in the Food Waste Monitor.	= 981,174 tons sold * 6.34% of sales is catering * 38% food left unserved at events = 23,620 tons catering overproduction from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
US Dollars Catering Overproduction	= US Dollars Sold * % Catering * % Catering Overproduction	= $10,674,596,780 sold * 6.34% of sales is catering * 38% food left unserved at events = $256,978,084 catering overproduction from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
PLATE WASTE
Average Menu Retail $ per Lb	= US Dollars Sold / Tons Sold / 2,000 lbs per ton	= $99,542,847,400 / 1,024,190 tons / 2,000 lbs per ton = $5.44/lb
Plate Waste Rate	Plate Waste Studies[__citation_platewaste_Roe__],[__citation_platewaste_Massow__],[__citation_platewaste_PSU__],[__citation_platewaste_Folger__],[__citation_platewaste_Smith__] See Appendix P for plate waste rates used for each type of foodservice.	In the plate waste study relevant to Limited Service Restaurants locations, 11.30% of food served became plate waste
Tons Onsite Food Served	= Tons Sold * % Onsite Dining	= 981,174 * 16.41% = 161,055 tons served at Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
US Dollars Onsite Food Served	= Tons Onsite Food Served * Average Menu Retail $ per Lb * 2,000 lbs per ton	= 161,055 tons served * $5.44/lb * 2,000 lbs per ton = $1,752,193,541 served at Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
Tons Catering Served	= Tons Catering Sold - Tons Catering Overproduction	= 62,159 tons catering sold - 23,620 tons catering overproduction = 38,538 tons catering served from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
US Dollars Catering Served	= Tons Catering Served * Average Menu Retail $ per Lb * 2,000 lbs per ton	= 38,538 tons catering served * $5.44/lb * 2,000 lbs per ton = $419,280,032 catering served from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
Tons Onsite Plate Waste	= Tons Onsite Food Served * Plate Waste Rate	= 161,055 * 11.30% food served becomes plate waste = 18,199 tons onsite plate waste from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
Tons Catering Plate Waste	= Tons Catering Served * Plate Waste Rate	= 38,538 tons catering served * 11.30% food served becomes plate waste = 4,354 tons catering plate waste from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
US Dollars Onsite Plate Waste	= US Dollars Sold * % Onsite Dining * Plate Waste Rate	= $10,674,596,780 sold * 16.41% of sales is onsite dining * 11.30% food served becomes plate waste = $197,997,870 onsite plate waste from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
US Dollars Catering Plate Waste	= US Dollars Catering Served * Plate Waste Rate	= $419,280,032 catering served * 11.30% food served becomes plate waste = $47,378,643 catering plate waste from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
Total Tons Plate Waste	= Tons Onsite Plate Waste + Tons Catering Plate Waste Note: All Plate Waste was listed as “Prepared Foods” in the Food Waste Monitor.	= 18,199 tons onsite plate waste + 4,354 tons catering plate waste = 22,554 tons total plate waste from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
Total US Dollars Plate Waste	= US Dollars Onsite Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Plate Waste	= $197,997,870 onsite plate waste + $47,378,643 catering plate waste = $245,376,513 total plate waste from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
TOTAL FOOD SURPLUS
Tons Food Surplus	= Tons Overproduction + Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus (excluding Overproduction) + Tons Plate Waste (including Onsite Dining and Catering) + Tons Catering Overproduction	= 20,669 tons onsite overproduction + 22,346 tons unutilized ingredients + 22,554 tons total plate waste + 23,620 tons catering overproduction = 89,190 tons food surplus from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas
US Dollars Food Surplus	= US Dollars Overproduction + US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus (excluding Overproduction) + US Dollars Plate Waste (including Onsite Dining and Catering) + US Dollars Catering Overproduction	= $224,873,195 overproduction + $76,749,967 unutilized ingredients + $245,376,513 total plate waste + $256,978,084 catering overproduction = $803,977,761 food surplus from Limited Service Restaurants locations in Texas

Cause Calculations

Table 14. Calculations Performed to Quantify the Causes of U.S. Foodservice Surplus Food

DATA ITEM	DATA SOURCE OR CALCULATION	EXAMPLE
PRE-CONSUMER SURPLUS CAUSES
Tons Overproduction	See calculation above for Tons Overproduction	= 20,669 tons Overproduction
US Dollars Overproduction	See calculation above for US Dollars Overproduction	= $224,873,195 Overproduction
% Unutilized Ingredient Surplus due to Cause	Leanpath[30] See Appendix R for causes by segment as well as proxies segments used when data was not available for a particular segment.	Pre-consumer food surplus causes (not including Overproduction) for the Hospitality segment in 2021 (used as a proxy for most restaurants). : Breads & Bakery: Cooking issues: 48.56% Date Label Concerns: 2.16% Equipment issues: 2.63% Handling errors: 6.29% Other: 4.39% Spoiled: 25.65% Trimmings & Byproducts: 10.32% ————————————————- Total: 100% Dairy & Eggs: Cooking issues: 0.78% Date Label Concerns: 77.93% Equipment issues: 0.00% Handling errors: 0.81% Other: 0.00% Spoiled: 20.48% Trimmings & Byproducts: 0.00% ————————————————- Total: 100% Dry Goods: Cooking issues: 9.25% Date Label Concerns: 58.84% Equipment issues: 0.00% Handling errors: 7.37% Other: 1.26% Spoiled: 10.74% Trimmings & Byproducts: 12.54% ————————————————- Total: 100% Fresh Meat & Seafood: Cooking issues: 3.38% Date Label Concerns: 41.69% Equipment issues: 0.30% Handling errors: 6.04% Other: 0.53% Spoiled: 20.19% Trimmings & Byproducts: 27.88% ————————————————- Total: 100% Frozen: Cooking issues: 0.00% Date Label Concerns: 28.99% Equipment issues: 1.31% Handling errors: 26.19% Other: 5.07% Spoiled: 26.36% Trimmings & Byproducts: 12.08% ————————————————- Total: 100% Prepared Foods: Cooking issues: 6.08% Date Label Concerns: 50.88% Equipment issues: 3.88% Handling errors: 4.52% Other: 5.30% Spoiled: 13.44% Trimmings & Byproducts: 15.90% ————————————————- Total: 100% Produce: Cooking issues: 4.25% Date Label Concerns: 21.56% Equipment issues: 0.13% Handling errors: 1.90% Other: 0.28% Spoiled: 14.08% Trimmings & Byproducts: 57.78% ————————————————- Total: 100% Ready-to-Drink Beverages: Cooking issues: 0.00% Date Label Concerns: 77.48% Equipment issues: 0.00% Handling errors: 1.04% Other: 5.26% Spoiled: 16.12% Trimmings & Byproducts: 0.10% ————————————————- Total: 100%
Tons Unutilized Ingredient Surplus Due to Cause	= Tons Unutilized Ingredients by Food Type * % Unutilized Ingredient Surplus due to Cause	Tons due to Cooking Issues: = 2,796 tons surplus Breads & Bakery * 48.56% + 7,118 tons surplus Dairy & Eggs * 0.78% + 2,477 tons surplus Dry Goods * 9.25% + 3,834 tons surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 3.38% + 221 tons surplus Frozen * 0.00% + 1,908 tons surplus Produce * 4.25% + 0 tons surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 0.00% = 2,354,891 tons Tons due to Date Label Concerns: = 2,796 tons surplus Breads & Bakery * 2.16% + 7,118 tons surplus Dairy & Eggs * 77.93% + 2,477 tons surplus Dry Goods * 58.84% + 3,834 tons surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 41.69% + 221 tons surplus Frozen * 28.99% + 1,908 tons surplus Produce * 21.56% + 0 tons surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 77.48% = 41,438,374 tons Tons due to Equipment Issues: = 2,796 tons surplus Breads & Bakery * 2.63% + 7,118 tons surplus Dairy & Eggs * 0.00% + 2,477 tons surplus Dry Goods * 0.00% + 3,834 tons surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 0.30% + 221 tons surplus Frozen * 1.31% + 1,908 tons surplus Produce * 0.13% + 0 tons surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 0.00% = 443,994 tons Tons due to Handling Errors: = 2,796 tons surplus Breads & Bakery * 6.29% + 7,118 tons surplus Dairy & Eggs * 0.81% + 2,477 tons surplus Dry Goods * 7.37% + 3,834 tons surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 6.04% + 221 tons surplus Frozen * 26.19% + 1,908 tons surplus Produce * 1.90% + 0 tons surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 1.04% = 3,494,409 tons Tons due to Other: = 2,796 tons surplus Breads & Bakery * 4.39% + 7,118 tons surplus Dairy & Eggs * 0.00% + 2,477 tons surplus Dry Goods * 1.26% + 3,834 tons surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 0.53% + 221 tons surplus Frozen * 5.07% + 1,908 tons surplus Produce * 0.28% + 0 tons surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 5.26% = 1,399,611 tons Tons due to Spoiled: = 2,796 tons surplus Breads & Bakery * 25.65% + 7,118 tons surplus Dairy & Eggs * 20.48% + 2,477 tons surplus Dry Goods * 10.74% + 3,834 tons surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 20.19% + 221 tons surplus Frozen * 26.36% + 1,908 tons surplus Produce * 14.08% + 0 tons surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 16.12% = 14,631,580 tons Tons due to Trimmings & Byproducts: = 2,796 tons surplus Breads & Bakery * 10.32% + 7,118 tons surplus Dairy & Eggs * 0.00% + 2,477 tons surplus Dry Goods * 12.54% + 3,834 tons surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 27.88% + 221 tons surplus Frozen * 12.08% + 1,908 tons surplus Produce * 57.78% + 0 tons surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 0.10% = 12,987,179 tons
US Dollars Unutilized Ingredient Surplus Due to Cause	= US Dollars Unutilized Ingredients by Food Type * % Unutilized Ingredient Surplus due to Cause	US Dollars due to Cooking Issues: = $2,796 surplus Breads & Bakery * 48.56% + $13,097,248 surplus Dairy & Eggs * 0.78% + $9,550,096 surplus Dry Goods * 9.25% + $24,030,213 surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 3.38% + $617,322 surplus Frozen * 0.00% + $6,247,816 surplus Produce * 4.25% + $0 surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 0.00% = $2,354,891 US Dollars due to Date Label Concerns: = $13,534,229 surplus Breads & Bakery * 2.16% + $13,097,248 surplus Dairy & Eggs * 77.93% + $9,550,096 surplus Dry Goods * 58.84% + $24,030,213 surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 41.69% + $617,322 surplus Frozen * 28.99% + $6,247,816 surplus Produce * 21.56% + $0 surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 77.48% = $41,438,374 US Dollars due to Equipment Issues: = $13,534,229 surplus Breads & Bakery * 2.63% + $13,097,248 surplus Dairy & Eggs * 0.00% + $9,550,096 surplus Dry Goods * 0.00% + $24,030,213 surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 0.30% + $617,322 surplus Frozen * 1.31% + $6,247,816 surplus Produce * 0.13% + $0 surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 0.00% = $443,994 US Dollars due to Handling Errors: = $13,534,229 surplus Breads & Bakery * 6.29% + $13,097,248 surplus Dairy & Eggs * 0.81% + $9,550,096 surplus Dry Goods * 7.37% + $24,030,213 surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 6.04% + $617,322 surplus Frozen * 26.19% + $6,247,816 surplus Produce * 1.90% + $0 surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 1.04% = $3,494,409 US Dollars due to Other: = $13,534,229 surplus Breads & Bakery * 4.39% + $13,097,248 surplus Dairy & Eggs * 0.00% + $9,550,096 surplus Dry Goods * 1.26% + $24,030,213 surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 0.53% + $617,322 surplus Frozen * 5.07% + $6,247,816 surplus Produce * 0.28% + $0 surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 5.26% = $1,399,611 US Dollars due to Spoiled: = $13,534,229 surplus Breads & Bakery * 25.65% + $13,097,248 surplus Dairy & Eggs * 20.48% + $9,550,096 surplus Dry Goods * 10.74% + $24,030,213 surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 20.19% + $617,322 surplus Frozen * 26.36% + $6,247,816 surplus Produce * 14.08% + $0 surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 16.12% = $14,631,580 US Dollars due to Trimmings & Byproducts: = $13,534,229 surplus Breads & Bakery * 10.32% + $13,097,248 surplus Dairy & Eggs * 0.00% + $9,550,096 surplus Dry Goods * 12.54% + $24,030,213 surplus Fresh Meat & Seafood * 27.88% + $617,322 surplus Frozen * 12.08% + $6,247,816 surplus Produce * 57.78% + $0 surplus Ready-to-drink Beverages * 0.10% = $12,987,179
PLATE WASTE AND CATERING OVERPRODUCTION
Tons Plate Waste	See calculation above for Tons Plate Waste	= 22,554 tons plate waste
US Dollars Plate Waste	See calculation above for US Dollars Plate Waste	= $245,376,513 plate waste
Tons Catering Overproduction	See calculation above for Tons Catering Overproduction	= 23,620 tons catering overproduction
US Dollars Catering Overproduction	See calculation above for US Dollars Catering Overproduction	= $256,978,084 catering overproduction

Destination Calculations

Table 15. Calculations Performed to Quantify the Destinations of U.S. Foodservice Surplus Food

DATA ITEM	DATA SOURCE OR CALCULATION	EXAMPLE
Destination Breakdown of PreConsumer Food Surplus	Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA) Survey[14] Note: ReFED used Leanpath[30] data rather than FWRA survey data to quantify the breakdown of preconsumer surplus for states that have organic waste recycling laws (California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, Washington). See Appendix S (LINK!) for more information.	donations: __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_donations__% Animal feed: 0.01% Anaerobic Digestion: __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_ad__% Compost: __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_composting__% Land Application: 0.00% Sewer: 0.00% Dumping: __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_dumping__% Trash: 98.72% ———————————————— Total: 100% Note: ReFED excluded industrial uses (biomaterials/processing) data from the FWRA surveys, because most of this is spent cooking oil rather than preconsumer surplus.
	% of Trash that is landfill vs incineration in Texas (Biocycle/Columbia University Survey[8]) (See Appendix Z)	% of Trash that is landfill = __foodservice_example_pct_trash_landfill__% % of Trash that is incineration = __foodservice_example_pct_trash_incineration__%
	Breaking “Trash” into Landfill vs Incineration: % landfill = % Trash * % of Trash that is landfill % incineration = % Trash * % of Trash that is incineration	% landfill: = 98.72% * __foodservice_example_pct_trash_landfill__% = __foodservice_example_pct_preconsumer_landfill__% % incineration: = 98.72% * __foodservice_example_pct_trash_incineration__% = __foodservice_example_pct_preconsumer_incineration__%
Destination Breakdown of Plate Waste	ReFED assumed that plate waste was sent to “Trash” in all states, except states that have organic waste recycling laws. For those states, Leanpath[30] plate waste destinations data was used instead. See Appendix T for more information.	Assumed 100% Trash for plate waste in Texas
	% of Trash that is landfill vs incineration in Texas (Biocycle/Columbia University Survey[8]) (See Appendix Z)	% of Trash that is landfill = __foodservice_example_pct_trash_landfill__% % of Trash that is incineration = __foodservice_example_pct_trash_incineration__%
	Breaking “Trash” into Landfill vs Incineration: % landfill = % Trash * % of Trash that is landfill % incineration = % Trash * % of Trash that is incineration	% landfill = 100% * __foodservice_example_pct_trash_landfill__% = __foodservice_example_pct_platewaste_landfill__% % incineration = 0% * __foodservice_example_pct_trash_incineration__% = __foodservice_example_pct_platewaste_incineration__%
Destination Breakdown of Catering Overproduction	ReFED assumed that catering overproduction was sent to “Trash” in all states, except states that have organic waste recycling laws. For those states, Leanpath[30] plate waste destinations data was used instead. See Appendix U for more information.	donations: __foodservice_example_catering_pct_donations__% Animal feed: 0.00% Anaerobic Digestion: __foodservice_example_catering_pct_ad__% Compost: __foodservice_example_catering_pct_composting__% Industrial uses: __foodservice_example_catering_pct_industrial__% Land Application: 0.00% Sewer: 0.00% Dumping: __foodservice_example_catering_pct_dumping__% Trash: 100.00% ———————————————— Total: 100%
	% of Trash that is landfill vs incineration in Texas (Biocycle/Columbia University Survey[8]) (See Appendix Z)	% of Trash that is landfill = __foodservice_example_pct_trash_landfill__% % of Trash that is incineration = __foodservice_example_pct_trash_incineration__%
	Breaking “Trash” into Landfill vs Incineration: % landfill = % Trash * % of Trash that is landfill % incineration = % Trash * % of Trash that is incineration	% landfill = 100.00% * __foodservice_example_pct_trash_landfill__% = __foodservice_example_pct_catering_overproduction_landfill__% % incineration = 100.00% * __foodservice_example_pct_trash_incineration__% = __foodservice_example_pct_catering_overproduction_incineration__%
Tons donations	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus (incl or exlc overproduction??) * % Donations for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total Tons Plate Waste * % Donations for Plate Waste + Tons Catering Overproduction * % Donations for Catering Overproduction	= 22,346 tons * __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_donations__% + 22,554 tons * 0% + 23,620 tons * __foodservice_example_catering_pct_donations__% = __foodservice_example_tons_donations__ tons
Tons Animal Feed	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Animal Feed for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total Tons Plate Waste * % Animal Feed for Plate Waste + Tons Catering Overproduction * % Animal Feed for Catering Overproduction	= 22,346 tons * 0.01% + 22,554 tons * 0% + 23,620 tons * 0.00% = 4 tons
Tons Industrial uses	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Industrial uses for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total Tons Plate Waste * % Industrial uses for Plate Waste + Tons Catering Overproduction * % Industrial uses for Catering Overproduction	= 22,346 tons * __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_industrial__% + 22,554 tons * 0% + 23,620 tons * __foodservice_example_catering_pct_industrial__% = __foodservice_example_tons_industrial__ tons
Tons Anaerobic Digestion	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Anaerobic Digestion for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total Tons Plate Waste * % Anaerobic Digestion for Plate Waste + Tons Catering Overproduction * % Anaerobic Digestion for Catering Overproduction	= 22,346 tons * __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_ad__% + 22,554 tons * 0% + 23,620 tons * __foodservice_example_catering_pct_ad__% = __foodservice_example_tons_ad__ tons
Tons composting	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus * % composting for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total Tons Plate Waste * % composting for Plate Waste + Tons Catering Overproduction * % composting for Catering Overproduction	= 22,346 tons * __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_composting__% + 22,554 tons * 0% + 23,620 tons * __foodservice_example_catering_pct_composting__% = __foodservice_example_tons_composting__ tons
Tons Land Application	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Land Application for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total Tons Plate Waste * % Land Application for Plate Waste + Tons Catering Overproduction * % Land Application for Catering Overproduction	= 22,346 tons * 0.00% + 22,554 tons * 0% + 23,620 tons * 0.00% = 0 tons
Tons Sewer	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Sewer for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total Tons Plate Waste * % Sewer for Plate Waste + Tons Catering Overproduction * % Sewer for Catering Overproduction	= 22,346 tons * 0.00% + 22,554 tons * 0% + 23,620 tons * 0.00% = 0 tons
Tons Dumping	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Dumping for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total Tons Plate Waste * % Dumping for Plate Waste + Tons Catering Overproduction * % Dumping for Catering Overproduction	= 22,346 tons * __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_dumping__% + 22,554 tons * 0% + 23,620 tons * __foodservice_example_catering_pct_dumping__% = __foodservice_example_tons_dumping__ tons
Tons landfill	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus * % landfill for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total Tons Plate Waste * % landfill for Plate Waste + Tons Catering Overproduction * % landfill for Catering Overproduction	= 22,346 tons * __foodservice_example_pct_preconsumer_landfill__% + 22,554 tons * __foodservice_example_pct_platewaste_landfill__% + 23,620 tons * __foodservice_example_pct_catering_overproduction_landfill__% = __foodservice_example_tons_landfill__ tons
Tons Incineration	= Tons Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Incineration for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total Tons Plate Waste * % Incineration for Plate Waste + Tons Catering Overproduction * % Incineration for Catering Overproduction	= 22,346 tons * __foodservice_example_pct_preconsumer_incineration__% + 22,554 tons * __foodservice_example_pct_platewaste_incineration__% + 23,620 tons * __foodservice_example_pct_catering_overproduction_incineration__% = __foodservice_example_tons_incineration__ tons
US Dollars donations	= US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Donations for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total US Dollars Plate Waste * % Donations for Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Overproduction * % Donations for Catering Overproduction	= $76,749,967 * __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_donations__% + $245,376,513 * 0% + $256,978,084 * __foodservice_example_catering_pct_donations__% = $__foodservice_example_dollars_donations__
US Dollars Animal Feed	= US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Animal Feed for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total US Dollars Plate Waste * % Animal Feed for Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Overproduction * % Animal Feed for Catering Overproduction	= $76,749,967 * 0.01% + $245,376,513 * 0% + $256,978,084 * 0.00% = $33,178
US Dollars Industrial uses	= US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Industrial uses for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total US Dollars Plate Waste * % Industrial uses for Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Overproduction * % Industrial uses for Catering Overproduction	= $76,749,967 * __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_industrial__% + $245,376,513 * 0% + $256,978,084 * __foodservice_example_catering_pct_industrial__% = $__foodservice_example_dollars_industrial__
US Dollars Anaerobic Digestion	= US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Anaerobic Digestion for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total US Dollars Plate Waste * % Anaerobic Digestion for Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Overproduction * % Anaerobic Digestion for Catering Overproduction	= $76,749,967 * __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_ad__% + $245,376,513 * 0% + $256,978,084 * __foodservice_example_catering_pct_ad__% = $__foodservice_example_dollars_ad__
US Dollars composting	= US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus * % composting for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total US Dollars Plate Waste * % composting for Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Overproduction * % composting for Catering Overproduction	= $76,749,967 * __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_composting__% + $245,376,513 * 0% + $256,978,084 * __foodservice_example_catering_pct_composting__% = $__foodservice_example_dollars_composting__
US Dollars Land Application	= US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Land Application for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total US Dollars Plate Waste * % Land Application for Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Overproduction * % Land Application for Catering Overproduction	= $76,749,967 * 0.00% + $245,376,513 * 0% + $256,978,084 * 0.00% = $0
US Dollars Sewer	= US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Sewer for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total US Dollars Plate Waste * % Sewer for Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Overproduction * % Sewer for Catering Overproduction	= $76,749,967 * 0.00% + $245,376,513 * 0% + $256,978,084 * 0.00% = $0
US Dollars Dumping	= US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Dumping for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total US Dollars Plate Waste * % Dumping for Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Overproduction * % Dumping for Catering Overproduction	= $76,749,967 * __foodservice_example_preconsumer_pct_dumping__% + $245,376,513 * 0% + $256,978,084 * __foodservice_example_catering_pct_dumping__% = $__foodservice_example_dollars_dumping__
US Dollars landfill	= US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus * % landfill for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total US Dollars Plate Waste * % landfill for Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Overproduction * % landfill for Catering Overproduction	= $76,749,967 * __foodservice_example_pct_preconsumer_landfill__% + $245,376,513 * 100% + $256,978,084 * __foodservice_example_pct_catering_overproduction_landfill__% = $__foodservice_example_dollars_landfill__
US Dollars Incineration	= US Dollars Pre-Consumer Surplus * % Incineration for Pre-Consumer Surplus + Total US Dollars Plate Waste * % Incineration for Plate Waste + US Dollars Catering Overproduction * % Incineration for Catering Overproduction	= $76,749,967 * __foodservice_example_pct_preconsumer_incineration__% + $245,376,513 * 0% + $256,978,084 * __foodservice_example_pct_catering_overproduction_incineration__% = $__foodservice_example_dollars_incineration__

Data Sources and Limitations

National Foodservice Purchases and Sales

Raw data and documentation:

This is confidential data from Technomic and cannot be shared.

Technomic is the leading sales and market share data company for the U.S. foodservice sector. ReFED obtained foodservice supplier purchases and customer sales data from the Technomic Ignite Platform[44]. This data is provided annually and is broken down by segment (e.g., limited service restaurants, full service restaurants, lodging, business & industry, etc.) and cuisine (e.g., burger, asian/noodle, varied menu), but is only available at the national, not state, level.

State Restaurant Locations and Employee Counts for Non-Restaurant Segments

Raw data and documentation:

• Restaurant Locations: This contains confidential data from Technomic and cannot be shared.

• Employee Counts for Non-Restaurant: https://refed-roadmap.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/public_documentation/Documentation_Foodservice_EmployeeCounts.xlsx

For limited service restaurants, full service restaurants, and bars & taverns, ReFED allocated national sales down to the state level using the Technomic state-level locations data for the Top 500 restaurants[44]. A limitation of this approach is that sales is not always proportional to the number of locations.

Because Technomic did not have comprehensive location data for non-restaurant foodservice segments (e.g., Healthcare, Lodging, Business & Industry, Universities, etc.), ReFED used industry employee counts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to allocate national Technomic sales to each state for these categories[46]. ReFED mapped each BLS NAICS industry code to the equivalent Technomic segment. Similar to the locations data, a limitation of this approach is that sales is not always proportional to the number of employees.

Wholesale Price per Lb

Raw data and documentation:

This contains confidential data from Technomic and cannot be shared.

ReFED calculated average wholesale price per lb estimates for each foodservice segment by subtracting retailer price margins[4] from Nielsen retail prices[38] for hundreds of food categories. The average food category mix for each foodservice segment was estimated by combining menu data from the Technomic Ignite Platform[44] (e.g., Cheeseburger, Fries, etc.) with food type ingredient breakdown data from USDA Food Data Central[52] (e.g., A cheeseburger is 38% ground beef, 27% bread, 9% cheese, 9% tomato, 7% sauce, 7% pickles, 4% lettuce). Each foodservice segment was assigned a proxy menu based on the top restaurant by sales in each segment. For non-restaurant segments, a restaurant proxy menu was used. See Appendix O for wholesale price estimates and proxy menus used for each foodservice segment.

Pre-Consumer Surplus Rates

Leanpath is a technology company that helps foodservice companies track, weigh and analyze the amount of food that is wasted in commercial kitchens. Leanpath customers indicate the reason the food was not used, where it will be sent (e.g., composting, landfill, etc.), and the food type of the disposed food when using Leanpath’s software system. Based on the data in their system across multiple clients, Leanpath estimates that on average 4.2% of food purchases are not utilized in commercial foodservice kitchens[30].

The limitations of using the Leanpath data to estimate foodservice pre-consumer surplus rates for all foodservice segments over time are the following: (1) The 4.2% estimate was a one-time estimate and does not reflect changes in performance over time. (2) Leanpath’s current client base does not include restaurants, so if restaurants have significantly different pre-consumer surplus rates, this is not reflected. (3) The 4.2% estimate is not food type specific, so food type variations are not reflected.

Food Type Breakdown

Raw data and documentation:

This is confidential data from Technomic and cannot be shared.

ReFED used menu data from Technomic[44] in combination with food ingredient breakdown data from USDA Food Data Central[52] to estimate the food ingredient breakdown of multiple menus. The Technomic menu data listed all of the items on a menu for the Top 500 restaurants (e.g., Cheeseburger, Fries, etc.). ReFED mapped each menu item to the closest matching food item in the USDA Food Data Central database, which provides the ingredient weight breakdown of each food (e.g., A cheeseburger is 38% ground beef, 27% bread, 9% cheese, 9% tomato, 7% sauce, 7% pickles, 4% lettuce). Each foodservice segment was assigned a proxy menu based on the top restaurant by sales in each segment (e.g., McDonald’s menu was used as a proxy for Limited Service Burger Restaurants). For non-restaurant segments, a restaurant proxy menu was used. For example, since Applebee’s was the proxy menu for the Varied Menu segment, it was used as the proxy for Business & Industry cafeterias since that setting has a varied menu as well. See Appendix O for a list of the proxy menus used for each foodservice segment as well as the estimated food type breakdown of their menus. This data was used to estimate the food type breakdown of Pre-Consumer Surplus by foodservice segment.

Distribution Channels (Dine in vs Takeout vs Catering)

Raw data and documentation:

This is confidential data from Technomic and cannot be shared.

ReFED used proprietary data from Technomic[44] to estimate the amount of food that is eaten onsite or at catering events as opposed to takeout. In ReFED’s data model, takeout is considered out of scope for the Foodservice sector and is accounted for in the Residential sector modeling instead. The distribution channel data provided by Technomic is broken out separately for different types of Limited Service Restaurants (quick service, fast casual) and Full Service Restaurants (casual dining, midscale, fine dining). ReFED assumed that 100% of food was eaten onsite for other types of foodservice (Education, Healthcare, Business & Industry, Military, Corrections, Lodging, Recreation, and Transportation).

Plate Waste Rates

Raw data and documentation:

https://refed-roadmap.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/public_documentation/Documentation_Foodservice_PlateWasteRates.xlsx

ReFED used multiple quantitative studies conducted by nonprofits, academics, and government organizations to estimate plate waste rates[41],[32],[15],[12],[43]. ReFED identified the latest, most suitable study available to use as a proxy for plate waste rates in each foodservice segment. See Appendix P for a list of plate waste rates and proxy assignments. Because some foodservice types are under researched and because these were all one-time studies based on a few locations, a more robust, continually updated dataset is needed to better understand plate waste rates across multiple foodservice segments over time.

Catering Overproduction Rates

Based on expert interviews with catering organizations, ReFED estimates that 28% of food is never served to clients at buffet style catering events, 38% for breakfast and lunch events, and 13% for plated events. See Appendix Q for a list of which rates were used to estimate catering overproduction for each foodservice type.

Pre-Consumer Surplus Causes

Raw data and documentation:

This is confidential data from Leanpath and cannot be shared.

Leanpath is a technology company that helps foodservice companies track, weigh and analyze the amount of food that is wasted in commercial kitchens. Leanpath customers indicate the reason the food was not used, where it will be sent (e.g., composting, landfill, etc.), and the food type when using Leanpath’s waste tracking system. Leanpath pulled aggregated data[30] from their system to estimate the percent breakdown of pre-consumer surplus causes by food type for the following segments: Business & Industry, Hospitality, Healthcare, and Education. See Appendix R for pre-consumer surplus cause data for each of these foodservice segments as well as which segments were used as proxies for others (e.g., Hospitality data was used as a proxy for restaurants).

Pre-Consumer Surplus Destinations

Raw data and documentation:

https://refed-roadmap.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/public_documentation/Documentation_Foodservice_PreconsumerSurplusDestinations.xlsx

For most states, ReFED used data from the 2016 Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA) survey[14] of restaurants in which 28 restaurant companies responded (11.8% of U.S. market share based on sales) to estimate the destination breakdown of pre-consumer surplus. Data on industrial uses (or biomaterials/processing) was excluded because most of this is spent cooking oil rather than pre-consumer surplus. Since this data indicated that 94% of pre-consumer surplus is landfill, which is not the case in states that have organics recycling laws, ReFED instead used data from Leanpath[30] to estimate the pre-consumer surplus destinations for these states (California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington). ReFED did not use the Leanpath data for other states to avoid selection bias as Leanpath clients may be more likely to compost food scraps than the average foodservice business.

Because landfill versus incineration facility infrastructure varies significantly from state to state, the landfill and incineration numbers were combined into a “% Trash” number. ReFED then estimated the portion of trash that is landfill versus incineration in each state using data from BioCycle’s 2010 “State of Garbage in America” survey[42], which was conducted in partnership with the Earth Engineering Center of Columbia University[8]. Because these surveys were discontinued in 2010 and no other state-level data sources exist, ReFED reused these estimates year over year to estimate the percentage of “trash” that is sent to incineration versus landfill facilities in each state.

Plate Waste Destinations

Raw data and documentation: - https://refed-roadmap.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/public_documentation/Documentation_Foodservice_CateringPlateWasteDestinations.xlsx - https://refed-roadmap.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/public_documentation/Documentation_Foodservice_OnsitePlateWasteDestinations.xlsx

ReFED assumed that plate waste was sent to “Trash” in all states, except states that have organics recycling laws. For these states (California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington), Leanpath plate waste destinations data was used instead[30]. ReFED did not use the Leanpath data for other states to avoid selection bias as Leanpath clients may be more likely to compost food scraps than the average foodservice business.

ReFED then estimated the portion of trash that is landfill versus incineration in each state using data from BioCycle’s 2010 “State of Garbage in America” survey[42], which was conducted in partnership with the Earth Engineering Center of Columbia University[8]. Because these surveys were discontinued in 2010 and no other state-level data sources exist, ReFED reused these estimates year over year to estimate the percentage of “trash” that is sent to incineration versus landfill facilities in each state.

Catering Overproduction Destinations

Raw data and documentation:

https://refed-roadmap.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/public_documentation/Documentation_Foodservice_CateringOverproductionDestinations.xlsx

ReFED assumed that catering overproduction was sent to “Trash” in all states, except states that have organic waste recycling laws. For states with organics recycling laws (California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington), Leanpath catering overproduction destinations data was used instead[30]. ReFED did not use the Leanpath data for other states to avoid selection bias as Leanpath clients may be more likely to compost food scraps than the average foodservice business.

ReFED then estimated the portion of trash that is landfill versus incineration in each state using data from BioCycle’s 2010 “State of Garbage in America” survey[42], which was conducted in partnership with the Earth Engineering Center of Columbia University[8]. Because these surveys were discontinued in 2010 and no other state-level data sources exist, ReFED reused these estimates year over year to estimate the percentage of “trash” that is sent to incineration versus landfill facilities in each state.

Data Quality Evaluation

This quality assessment is meant to evaluate the quality of how each data source was used by ReFED to estimate food loss and waste. It is not meant to rate the quality of the study itself. A high quality study used by ReFED beyond the study’s intended purposes could result in a low data quality score. See Appendix AA for more information about the ReFED Data Quality Rubric.

Table 16. Data Quality Evaluation for Food Waste Monitor Foodservice Sector

DATA	SOURCE	DATA QUALITY SCORE
		CREDIBILITY	UPDATE FREQUENCY	COVERAGE	FOOD TYPE	GEOGRAPHY	SCORE	WEIGHT
FOODSERVICE SURPLUS DATA
National Purchases from Suppliers	Technomic Ignite Platform	4	5	5	1	3	Medium 18/5 = 3.6	10%
National US Dollars Sold	Technomic Ignite Platform	4	5	5	1	3	Medium 18/5 = 3.6	8%
State Locations for Top 500 Restaurants	Technomic Ignite Platform	4	5	5	1	5	High 20/5 = 4.0	8%
State Employee Counts for Non-Restaurant Segments	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Employee Levels	5	5	5	1	5	High 21/5 = 4.2	8%
Food Type Breakdown	Technomic Ignite Platform Menu Data	2	1	1	5	3	Low 12/5 = 2.4	8%
Wholesale Price per Lb	ReFED Calculations	2	5	1	5	3	Medium 16/5 = 3.2	8%
Pre-Consumer Surplus Rate	Leanpath	4	1	1	1	3	Low 10/5 = 2.0	3%
Distribution Channels (Dine in vs Takeout vs Catering)	Technomic Ignite Platform	4	1	5	3	3	Medium 16/5 = 3.2	10%
Plate Waste Rates	Plate Waste Studies	__foodservice_surplus_platewaste_rates_credibility__	__foodservice_surplus_platewaste_rates_update_frequency__	__foodservice_surplus_platewaste_rates_coverage__	__foodservice_surplus_platewaste_rates_food_type__	__foodservice_surplus_platewaste_rates_geography__	__foodservice_surplus_platewaste_rates_score_text__	__foodservice_surplus_platewaste_rates_weight_text__
% Catering Overproduction	Expert Interviews	1	1	1	2	1	Very Low 6/5 = 1.2	2%
3.6 * 10% + 3.6 * 8% + 4.0 * 8% + 4.2 * 8% + 2.4 * 8% + 3.2 * 8% + 2.0 * 3% + 3.2 * 10% + 2.2 * 35% + 1.2 * 2% = 2.93							Low
FOODSERVICE CAUSES DATA
% Pre-Consumer Surplus due to Cause	Leanpath	4	5	1	5	3	Medium 18/5 = 3.6	6%
Distribution Channels (Dine in vs Takeout vs Catering)	Technomic Ignite Platform	4	5	5	5	3	High 22/5 = 4.4	20%
Plate Waste Rates	Plate Waste Studies	__foodservice_causes_platewaste_rates_credibility__	__foodservice_causes_platewaste_rates_update_frequency__	__foodservice_causes_platewaste_rates_coverage__	__foodservice_causes_platewaste_rates_food_type__	__foodservice_causes_platewaste_rates_geography__	__foodservice_causes_platewaste_rates_score_text__	__foodservice_causes_platewaste_rates_weight_text__
% Catering Overproduction	Expert Interviews	1	1	1	2	1	Very Low 6/5 = 1.2	4%
3.6 * 6% + 4.4 * 20% + 2.0 * 70% + 1.2 * 4% = 2.54							Low
FOODSERVICE DESTINATIONS DATA
% Destination Breakdown for Pre-Consumer Surplus	FWRA Surveys, Leanpath	3	1	1	1	2	Very Low 8/5 = 1.6	15%
% Destination Breakdown for Plate Waste	Leanpath, ReFED Assumptions	__foodservice_destinations_platewaste_destinations_credibility__	__foodservice_destinations_platewaste_destinations_update_frequency__	__foodservice_destinations_platewaste_destinations_coverage__	__foodservice_destinations_platewaste_destinations_food_type__	__foodservice_destinations_platewaste_destinations_geography__	__foodservice_destinations_platewaste_destinations_score_text__	__foodservice_destinations_platewaste_destinations_weight_text__
% Destination Breakdown for Catering Overproduction	Leanpath, ReFED Assumptions	4	5	1	5	2	Medium 17/5 = 3.4	10%
% of Trash landfill vs incineration	Biocycle/Columbia University Survey	5	1	5	1	5	Medium 17/5 = 3.4	10%
1.6 * 15% + 3.4 * 65% + 3.4 * 10% + 3.4 * 10% = 3.13							Medium