Log every item binned during the period with its quantity, unit cost and reason. The tool totals the cost and breaks it down by reason and category so you can see exactly where waste is coming from.
| Item | Category | Reason | Qty | Unit Cost | Cost |
|---|
A single "waste" total tells you very little. Breaking waste down by reason — spoilage, over-preparation, plate waste, expired stock, delivery damage — points directly at the process that needs fixing, whether that's ordering discipline, stock rotation, portioning or menu design.
Usually a stock rotation or over-ordering issue. Review FIFO discipline and order quantities against actual usage patterns, particularly for perishable, high-value items.
Preparing more than needed for a service, especially for items with a short shelf life once prepped. Tightening prep lists against covers forecasts (see the Cover Calculator) reduces this significantly.
Food returned uneaten by customers. High plate waste on a specific dish can indicate a portion size, quality or menu description issue worth investigating at the dish level.
Waste tracking is only useful if logging becomes routine. A bin scale at the pass, a simple logging sheet, or this tool used consistently at the end of each shift will surface patterns that ad-hoc estimates never will.
This calculator provides estimates based on the figures you enter. JWBIZ Ltd accepts no liability for decisions made on the basis of this tool.