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Reduce wasted food in your restaurant

We offer two programs to help restaurants reduce their food waste: The PLEDGE™ and The PRIMER on Food Waste.

By joining one of these programs, restaurants commit to reducing their carbon footprints, saving money, and giving back to the community.

The PLEDGE™ on Food Waste is an international third-party certification program that instructs restaurants, hotels, convention centers, and other foodservice businesses in tactics to reduce the amount of food they throw away. Make Food Not Waste is the first organization in the United States to offer this program.

The PRIMER on Food Waste is a bite-sized version of the The PLEDGE™, designed specifically for smaller scale food businesses or restaurants that aren’t ready to commit to the full PLEDGE™ curriculum. This program takes a simplified approach to allow restaurants to easily adopt the most important tactics for food waste reduction. Restaurants can get started with the PRIMER and progress to the full PLEDGE™ certification to continue their food waste reduction journey.

Why should restaurants reduce their food waste?

It saves money. Restaurants that complete the PLEDGE™ certification can expect to save 3–5% on their food costs.
It feeds the community. An important tactic in reducing food waste is donating surplus food to those in need.
It’s better for the environment. Keeping food out of landfills reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

What is the process for PLEDGE™ certification?

Restaurants that take The PLEDGE™ will go through a process of tracking their food waste and implementing a series of reduction tactics in seven key areas.

After completing all the steps and going through an audit, participating restaurants receive a certification at the bronze, silver, gold, or all-star levels, depending on how many food waste reduction steps they complete.

Make Food Not Waste will be there as a guide and cheerleader through the whole process.

Restaurants participating in The PRIMER and The PLEDGE™

Alchemi (CERTIFIED SILVER)

The Apparatus Room

Avalon International Breads

Baobab Fare

BasBlue

Brooklyn Street Local

Chartwells at Oakland University (CERTIFIED GOLD)

The Congregation

Empacho

FOLK (CERTIFIED BRONZE)

Good Cakes and Bakes

Johnny’s Speakeasy (CERTIFIED SILVER)

Madam at Daxton Hotel

Marrow

Metz at University of Detroit Mercy

Mink

Miss Kim

Saffron De Twah

Sister Pie

Soil 2 Service

Sweet Potato Sensations

Sylvan Table (CERTIFIED SILVER)

Westin Book Cadillac

Join The PLEDGE™ or The PRIMER

Complete the form below and we’ll get in touch!

We’re Make Food Not Waste–a nonprofit organization working to keep food out of landfills and slow climate change by creating lasting solutions to food waste through education, food upcycling and advocacy.