Punishment vs. reward for waitstaff to reduce plate waste

Apart from production or consumption, how food is served by waitstaff can also facilitate reducing plate waste. However, managerial intervention with waitstaff in reducing plate waste is under-investigated. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of punitive and incentive measures towards waitstaff in reducing customer plate waste. We conducted two rounds of action research, respectively, in two buffet restaurants of different sizes, collecting quantitative and qualitative data. The results indicate that waitstaff rewards and punishments are both beneficial for decreasing customer plate waste, but punishments are more effective from a long-term perspective. This study suggests that catering businesses should implement a long-term policy that combines rewards and punishments to motivate waitstaff to reduce customer plate waste.