Seeing food go to waste can be frustrating, especially when you work in a restaurant where oversized portions are the norm.

So, what would you do when management discourages you from offering takeout containers to save on costs, but you can’t stand seeing all the waste?

Do you follow orders, or do you find a clever way to make it stop?

In the following article, one waitress finds herself in this very situation and decides to take matters into her own hands.

Here’s what she did.

Waste not, want not

I started working as a waitress in a dine-in pizza and pasta restaurant.

The food was really overpriced for the quality, but they got away with it because it was the only place open late near the cinema.

Also, the portions were extremely oversized (by Australian standards). But, we didn’t have many regular patrons, so people would be shocked by how big their plates of pasta were, and since nobody could finish it, it produced a ton of food waste.

Understandably, she got tired of seeing so much food go to waste and looked for a solution.

The first time I went to management to ask them if I could give a cardboard takeaway container to a dine-in customer, they told me (sternly), ‘Hmmm, we’ll it’s ok this time since they asked for one, but don’t hand them out unless the customer SPECIFICALLY REQUESTS it, they are really expensive!’

FYI, they were not really expensive; management was just stingy, and also, generally, among the meanest bosses I’ve had, don’t ask me why they were ok with the cost of food waste; I guess they felt it gave them a good image to give large serves.

Anyway, I really hated to see all this waste each day, and it was clear that the customers did, too. So, whenever I cleared a table with a large amount of food left and the customers were looking regretful about it, I would say quietly: ‘You know, we do have takeaway boxes available, in case you would like to REQUEST one. Just let me know if you’d like to REQUEST one!’

It didn’t take management long to notice.

Almost invariably, they would be grateful, like, ‘Oh, that would be amazing; I felt so bad wasting all that food; I didn’t know we had the option to ask for a box! Thank you!!’

I think, realistically, the fallout was a positive one for the restaurant since some of these customers did indeed become regulars and didn’t mind paying the exorbitant prices if it took care of their lunch the next day.

However, the management did ask me what was up and why we were going through so many containers. I said, ‘I dunno, people just keep requesting them all the time lately! I guess people are becoming much more conscious of food waste!’.

The ‘zero waste’ movement was actually taking off at the same time, so I got away with nothing more than a raised eyebrow from the boss. 😇

Good for her! That’s one way to combat food waste!

Let’s see what Reddit readers had to say about what she did.

According to this person, the UK has a method for reducing restaurant food waste.

Here are some excellent thoughts.

Apparently, some people almost always take food home.

Good question!

The managers should be ashamed of themselves.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a rude customer who got exactly what they wanted in their pizza.