--- title: The Ultimate Guide to Preventing Food Waste at the Buffet description: "Food waste prevention whitepaper. Preventing Food Waste at the Buffet: A Guide for Chefs and Managers." image: https://blog.leanpath.com/hubfs/BL-Buffet-Whitepaper.png --- [![Logo](https://blog.leanpath.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo.png?width=146&height=36&name=Logo.png "Logo")](https://www.leanpath.com) - [Products](https://www.leanpath.com/products/) - [Kitchen Waste Solutions](https://www.leanpath.com/products/food-waste-tracking/) - [Plate Waste Solutions](https://www.leanpath.com/products/plate-waste-tracking/) - [Industries](https://www.leanpath.com/industries/) - [Contract Management](https://www.leanpath.com/industries/food-industry-waste-management-solutions/) - [Hospitality](https://www.leanpath.com/industries/hotel-food-waste-management-solutions/) - [Colleges and Universities](https://www.leanpath.com/industries/college-university/) - [Healthcare](https://www.leanpath.com/industries/hospital-food-waste-management-solutions) - [Restaurants](https://restaurants.leanpath.com) - [Resources](https://info.leanpath.com/resources) - [Resources Hub](https://info.leanpath.com/resources) - [Blog](https://blog.leanpath.com/) - [Case Studies](https://info.leanpath.com/resources#case-studies) - [Webinars](https://info.leanpath.com/resources#webinars) - [Guides](https://info.leanpath.com/resources#guides) - [About](https://www.leanpath.com/about/) - [About Leanpath](https://www.leanpath.com/about/) - [Leanpath 12.3 Initiative](https://www.leanpath.com/leanpath-initiative/) - [Careers](https://www.leanpath.com/about/#carrers) - [Contact Us](https://www.leanpath.com/contact/) - [Client Help Center](https://online.leanpath.com/ccm/login?zendeskRedirect=true) - [Support](https://www.leanpath.com/contact/) - [Login](https://online.leanpath.com/ccm/login) [Get a Demo \>\>](https://www.leanpath.com/demo-request) ![close](https://blog.leanpath.com/hubfs/close.svg) ### Let’s get the conversation started Fill out the form below to discuss the best solution for your operation: ## The Ultimate Guide to Preventing Food Waste at the Buffet #### Posted By Leanpath on Oct 5, 2018 - [![Facebook\_icon\_blurpl 1](https://blog.leanpath.com/hubfs/Facebook_icon_blurpl%201.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.leanpath.com/buffet-whitepaper-2018) - [![Linkedin\_blue](https://blog.leanpath.com/hubfs/Linkedin_blue.svg)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.leanpath.com/buffet-whitepaper-2018) - [![email\_blue](https://blog.leanpath.com/hubfs/email_blue.svg)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://blog.leanpath.com/buffet-whitepaper-2018&body=Check%20out%20https://blog.leanpath.com/buffet-whitepaper-2018&media=https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/416759/BL-Buffet-Whitepaper.png) ![BL-Buffet-Whitepaper](https://blog.leanpath.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BL-Buffet-Whitepaper.png?width=645&name=BL-Buffet-Whitepaper.png) There are three big reasons the buffet is a key source of food waste. First, it’s challenging to match supply and demand in an all-you-care-to-eat format. The default is overproduction: better to have too much on display than disappoint a customer with too little.  Second, a buffet has to be aggressively merchandised. Half empty pans and blank spots on the line kill the look of a bountiful buffet.  And third, when faced with that bounty, customers have a hard time gauging their own appetite and will often simply take more than they can eat, leading to excessive plate waste. The good news is that you don’t have to sacrifice customer satisfaction or the visual appeal of a buffet to dramatically cut food waste. Pulling best practices gleaned from LeanPath’s decade-plus experience in food waste prevention, as well as intelligence from The World Wildlife Fund and The Rockefeller Foundation, we offer a [new, free whitepaper for chefs and managers](https://info.leanpath.com/preventing-food-waste-at-the-buffet). [Check out all of our whitepapers and become a food waste prevention expert!](https://www.leanpath.com/free-resources/)   [![New call-to-action](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/416759/d8c4271c-ab22-4da5-9815-725d2bf5d8bf.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/416759/d8c4271c-ab22-4da5-9815-725d2bf5d8bf) Topics: [Food Waste Musings](https://blog.leanpath.com/topic/food-waste-musings)[Press Releases](https://blog.leanpath.com/topic/press-releases)[Latest News](https://blog.leanpath.com/topic/latest-news)[Food Waste Prevention Newsletter](https://blog.leanpath.com/topic/food-waste-prevention-newsletter)[Food Waste News](https://blog.leanpath.com/topic/food-waste-news)[Leanpath Awards](https://blog.leanpath.com/topic/leanpath-awards) [All Posts](https://blog.leanpath.com) [Next \>\>](https://blog.leanpath.com/james-beard-foundation-leanpath-team-up-to-prevent-food-waste) [![Logo Leanpath Footer](https://blog.leanpath.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Logo%20Leanpath%20Footer.png?width=300&height=74&name=Logo%20Leanpath%20Footer.png "Logo Leanpath Footer")](http://leanpath.com) ![Footer Sign-off](https://blog.leanpath.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Footer%20Sign-off.png?width=306&height=64&name=Footer%20Sign-off.png) #### Contact Us [![USA](https://blog.leanpath.com/hs-fs/hubfs/USA.png?width=62&height=21&name=USA.png)](https://www.leanpath.com/contact/#world-headquarters) [![UK](https://blog.leanpath.com/hs-fs/hubfs/UK.png?width=62&height=21&name=UK.png)](https://www.leanpath.com/contact/#world-headquarters) [![AUS](https://blog.leanpath.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AUS.png?width=62&height=21&name=AUS.png)](https://www.leanpath.com/contact/#world-headquarters) [+1 503-620-6512 - Americas](tel:+15036206512) [+44 (0) 20 7509 0477 - EMEA & APAC](tel:+44%20(0)%2020%207509%200477) [Contact Us](https://www.leanpath.com/contact/) [Media Contact](https://www.leanpath.com/about/#media-contact) #### Want to know more? 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