Food For All is on a mission to reduce food waste in the U.S.
The new food ordering service app essentially lets people buy a restaurant’s leftovers in an effort to help restaurants cut back on waste and to keep food from piling up in landfills. Users simply search the app for deals nearby; select the food they want to buy; and then go to the restaurant to pick it up.
Food For All is already operating in Boston, where about 30 restaurants have signed up to participate. But this is a pilot program and the app has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the final business model and launch in both Boston and New York City, according to Vocativ. At the time of this writing, the app has amassed more than 300 backers and over $12,500 with 28 days left to go.
About 40% of food produced in the U.S. Goes to waste each year: Restaurants, caterers, and cafeterias throw away a total 43 billion pounds of food. And individual restaurants each waste an estimated 25,000 to 100,000 pounds of food. Not only is this a waste of money—about $160 billion per year—but food waste is also a major driver of climate change.
While buying a restaurant’s leftovers might sound strange, anyone who has worked in the food service industry knows that much of what is thrown away at the end of the day is still fresh. If you’re still not convinced, perhaps the price tag will: Food for All offers leftovers for up to an 80% discount.