How many times have we dined out and left excess food on the table?
Perhaps, too many times.
And how many times do we pack that food to eat later, or give to the needy?
Certainly, not enough times.
With the rising trend of eating out, there is a marked increase in the amount of food wastage in the hospitality sector. By the time you read this article, 11 people would have died of hunger in the world (source: Oxfam report). Somehow, we seem to have normalised wasting food when eating out, but it’s time to do something about it.
Taking the first collective step, the Kolkata chapter of the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) has launched ‘Re-Serve’, an awareness campaign to prevent food wastage.
Launched on Stop World Food Wastage Day (April 27), the campaign encourages guests to pack the excess food on their table and re-serve it at home or to those in need and hungry, ’coz #ItsTooGoodToWaste.
Along with the digital campaign, tent cards will be placed on tables reminding customers to pack the excess food at no extra cost.
“As restaurateurs, we strongly feel that a small effort will go a long way in bridging the gap between the haves and have-nots. We hope to make Re-Serve a part of the way we dine out,” says Sagar Daryani, vice-president, NRAI, and co-founder, Wow Momo.
Many city restaurants and cafes have joined hands to push forth the message and the idea is that once it’s rolled out, more will join the cause.
“We believe that the combined effort of our 200+ member restaurants and thousands of patrons, will bring about a change in the way we dine out and use resources,” emphasised Aditya Ladsaria, chapter head of NRAI (Kolkata) and co-founder of Chai Break.