Framing Instead of Solving: Approaching the Wicked problem of Restaurant Food Waste through Service Design Research

The hospitality and food service sector is the food sector that generates the most food waste. To deliver a more sustainable service, the food service industry needs to understand and reduce customer plate waste, which is mostly avoidable. Several studies have investigated the drivers of plate waste behaviors and proposed mitigations. However, service designers need actionable insights that inspire innovative solutions. The goals of this study are twofold. The first goal is to identify factors influencing young consumers’food waste behavior in restaurants. The second goal is to frame food waste challenges as design opportunities for service designers. A photo diary was conducted with 10 Korean university students. Participants took before and after photos of two meals and fill out questionnaires. The questions include personal background, considerations when choosing a meal, satisfaction with the meal, and reasons for leaving food. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed. The results suggest that lack of awareness and control are the key drivers of leftovers. The food waste problem is framed into “How Might We” design opportunities for service design. Interventions should focus on improving communication with oneself, dining partners, and restaurants. The paper contributes by demonstrating the service design research approach to framing wicked problems with the example of restaurant food waste.