Food waste management in chain restaurant businesses: The case of Istanbul

Food wastes can occur in all processes starting from the agricultural production process and ending with the realization of consumption. In this context, a significant part of food waste is generated in the food and beverage sector. The amount of food waste, especially in restaurant businesses, draws attention. Food waste needs to be reduced and managed because it causes financial damage for the businesses in question, pollutes the environment, causes loss of resources and social problems. In this context, food waste management is considered as a management style that has consequences such as the regulation of various variables and the limitation or evaluation of lost or wasted food products. In order to ground food waste management and make it sustainable, businesses must have some financial, managerial and institutional competencies. Chain restaurant businesses are more advantageous compared to other businesses in terms of these competencies. This situation shows that chain restaurant businesses will be a successful application area for food waste management. Based on the field research conducted in the study, "What are the causes, stages and effects of food wastes occurring in chain restaurant businesses?", "What are the limitation and evaluation methods, management policies and practices followed to ensure the management of food wastes?" attempts were made to clarify the questions. In this direction, the aim of the study is; To create a general view of food waste management in chain restaurant businesses, to reveal the basic variables related to the planning and implementation of the food waste management process, to contribute to the lacking literature in terms of examining and explaining food waste management processes. In addition, the study is considered important in terms of revealing the situation related to food waste management in chain restaurant businesses, creating guiding data for practitioners in terms of food waste management, and making inferences based on the findings obtained from the participants and the literature in order to understand food waste management. Qualitative research methods have been used in the Turkish literature because the subject of food waste management is generally explained based on quantitative data and in-depth data acquisition is needed to explain the related management process. The data in the study were obtained from the managers and employees of the chain restaurant businesses operating in Istanbul. According to these data, it can be said that the reasons for the formation of food waste are based on cognitive, behavioral and managerial phenomena. In addition, it is understood that food waste prevention and evaluation methods differ according to criteria such as policy, financial opportunities, infrastructure and technological competencies. In this context, the policies, practices and solution suggestions that should be evaluated for the management of food waste are included in the findings part of the study. As a result of the research, it has been understood that the activities carried out by the related chain restaurant businesses in order to limit, prevent and evaluate food waste are insufficient in various aspects. Therefore, food waste management activities should be made systematic and sustainable. Based on this, suggestions were made for practitioners and future studies.