Abstract:
The hospitality sector is one of the primary sources of food waste, but the sector has received less attention from researchers. This study examined food waste management practices among restaurants in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Specifically, the study focused on food waste disposal practices, reduction strategies, restaurant challenges, and potential strategies for improving waste management practices. The study utilised snowball and purposive sampling techniques to gain insight into waste generation and management practices from 17 restaurants through in-depth interviews. The findings revealed that restaurants in Cape Coast use external waste collection, sometimes practise waste segregation, and dump at disposal sites and in open spaces. The food waste reduction strategies among the restaurants, including careful food storage, portion control, menu planning and staff training, effectively reduced waste and improved financial outcomes. The restaurants faced challenges managing food waste, such as prepaid credit network problems, power outages, customer dissatisfaction, legal and regulatory issues, and limited kitchen space. Promoting awareness, implementing standard portioning, tracking inventory, and fostering collaboration among local restaurants can mitigate these challenges. Therefore, the Ministry of Tourism and the Ghana Tourism Authority should lead educational campaigns on food waste reduction strategies, targeting restaurant owners, staff, and customers to enhance awareness and promote sustainable practices in the hospitality sector.
