4 MIN READ

12-12-2024

Plastic-Free Menus: How Restaurants Are Ditching Single-Use Items

Alex Schulze , CEO/Co-Founder

Plastic-Free Menus: How Restaurants Are Ditching Single-Use Items

As dining experiences and food delivery services have become more widespread and efficient, the use of plastic has soared. Restaurants in the U.S. use nearly 1 trillion pieces of disposable food service products annually according to Upstream, a reuse advocacy organization. These items are often not recyclable, and most end up in landfills, incinerators, or the environment. In fact, 44% of plastic litter in the ocean consists of takeout food and drink containers, highlighting the restaurant industry’s significant role in the plastic waste problem. It is clear that meaningful changes in this sector could have far-reaching environmental impacts.

With new research into plastic alternatives, technological innovations, and rising consumer demand for sustainable practices, many restaurants are forced to rethink strategies and adopt eco-friendly alternatives.

The Gold Standard: Reusables

In Beyond Plastic’s Restaurant’s Guide to Reducing Plastics, they provide guidelines to help restaurants phase out single-use plastics, recommending steps like switching to reusable dishware, making sustainable purchasing decisions, and partnering with services that offer reusable takeout containers.

The most effective way for restaurants to cut down on plastic waste and lower greenhouse gas emissions is by transitioning from disposables to reusables. Though initial costs may be higher, the investment in durable goods often pays for itself in a few months. Over time, reusables consume less energy and water than disposable options—even after dishwashing. For instance, while a disposable 12 oz hot cup with a plastic lid may cost 10 cents, a white stoneware mug of the same size costs about $1.70. A café using just 10 cups per hour can recoup its costs after 17 uses, saving 10 cents per use thereafter.

Reusables are neither new nor unscalable. In India, the ‘tiffin service’ has operated efficiently for decades, with home-cooked meals packed into multi-tiered, reusable metal containers called tiffins, which are then sorted, transported, and delivered by bicycles, handcarts, and trains across the city. This model inspired Philadelphia’s Tiffin Indian Cuisine, which introduced a reusable container program in 2021. Customers who order online can opt for reusable containers, which are tracked with QR codes. The containers can be returned within four weeks, either at the restaurant or to delivery drivers.

Another example is Organic Krush Lifestyle Eatery, which operates in New York, Connecticut, and Virginia. They use reusable bamboo dining ware and compostable to-go containers. In addition, Organic Krush bottles its cold-pressed juices in glass to avoid harmful chemical leaching and to preserve the quality of its beverages.

While smaller restaurants have taken the lead, large chains are also experimenting with reusables. Burger King is testing reusable Whopper containers, Starbucks is offering a cup rental option and encouraging customers to bring their own cups again, and Just Salad has pioneered a reusable bowl system for in-store and delivery options.

Reusables in To-Go and Delivery Services

A growing number of third-party services are partnering with restaurants to offer reusable containers for to-go and delivery orders. These vendors handle the entire process—supplying, tracking, and sanitizing the containers—making it easy for restaurants to adopt sustainable practices. The containers, often tracked with QR codes or barcodes, can be returned to designated locations, through delivery drivers, or at drop-off points. Once returned, the containers are professionally cleaned and put back into circulation. Customers who don’t return the containers on time may incur a small fee.

DeliverZero is one such company, providing reusable takeout containers to over 150 restaurants in New York City, Boulder, and California. Their system integrates with platforms like UberEats, Whole Foods, and DoorDash, allowing customers to choose eateries that prioritize sustainability.

Sustainable Disposables: A Compromise

While reusables are the best option for reducing carbon footprints, they may not always be feasible, especially for small, local eateries in developing countries. In such cases, sustainable disposables—such as biodegradable or compostable alternatives—can serve as a compromise, though they will always be more wasteful than reusables. When navigating the variety of "sustainable" labels, the key certification to look for is from the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). BPI is a non-profit, science-based organization that tests packaging and disposable products to ensure they are truly compostable and leave no toxic or plastic residues in the soil. Their website lists all BPI-certified global partners.

The Cost and Convenience Myth

The assumption that plastics are cheap and convenient is increasingly being challenged. Reports have shown that reusable serviceware, though initially more expensive, becomes highly cost-effective the longer it is used. For restaurants interested in exploring this transition, tools like Chart-Reuse from Upstream and the Foodware Calculator from ReThink Disposable can help estimate potential savings.