Statistics

Fast food has become a regular part of the American diet, with new fast food establishments popping up daily. In the United States, 36.6% of adults consume fast food on a given day, meaning that every day, one out of three Americans will choose to visit a fast food restaurant.

While there are many campaigns against the health issues related to eating junk food, food waste statistics now give us a window into understanding how fast food waste contributes to the current food waste crisis.

Fast food restaurants generate a large amount of waste due to their operating model, with readily available food making it hard to predict customer demands and leading to overproduction. Only 14 percent of plastic packaging is recycled; single-use food and beverage packaging is a prime source of the estimated 269,000 tons of plastic pollution currently floating around in the world’s oceans.

Fast food waste management strategies are crucial in reducing the amount of junk food waste in landfills, which may include recycling and composting programs, creating reusable containers, and working with waste management companies. Consumers can also minimize fast food waste by practicing portion control, utilizing recycling bins, purchasing reusable cups, and supporting companies that implement eco-friendly solutions.

A growing number of companies are prioritizing waste management in the fast food industry by implementing company-wide initiatives to help meet internal goals and reduce their environmental impact.