- Reusable dishes are sustainable, save money, increase loyalty and more…
- Reusable dishes are a result of increasing care for the environment.
- Europe advances sustainable changes in the catering industry through laws against single use plastics.
- Order, select reusable packaging, scan and enjoy.
- What are common criticisms for reusable dishes and how can you solve them?
- What to “take away”for the future.
Reusable dishes are sustainable, save money, increase loyalty…
The advantages of using systems for reusable dishes instead of single use plastic packaging are numerous:
- positive impact on the environment by reducing single use plastics
- reduced cost for packaging and replacing traditional dishes made of glass or ceramics
- adherence to national laws for environmental responsibility
- reusable dishes can be designed and branded to reflect your company
- the necessity to return dishes leads to more touchpoints with your canteen, increasing loyalty over time
- employees can take meals home, to act as home office supplies.
- any reusable dish is compatible with the system, be it self-made, storebought or provided by specialized companies
Reusable dishes are a result of increasing care for the environment
Sensibility for the impact that we humans have on our environment increases. As a result, sustainable alternatives for previously harmful practices are increasing in popularity. A major concern to many, but especially to the gastro industry, is the amount of waste generated by food wrappers and containers. One solution to this problem could be the implementation of systems, that allow for the easy distribution and management of reusable packaging.
Europe bans single use plastics
An EU wide ban of single use plastics starting in 2030, was decided on in 2019. Additionally, in 2023 the German government made it mandatory for most caterers to offer reusable dishes and food containers, should they regularly offer their customers single use plastic containers. This happened in accordance with an EU ruling, which aims to reduce harmful impacts on the environment. Both decisions are supposed to accelerate the switch from single use containers to reusable alternatives. As a reaction, people had to adapt to the mandates, leading to an increased interest in services that provided them with both the reusable dishes as well as systems to manage the dishes and deposits.
Order, select reusable packaging, scan and enjoy!
How does a simple reusable system work?
Using the ordering channel of their choice, guests select the reusable dish option when ordering their meal. They pay the deposit (if they have chosen the deposit system) conveniently in the app and receive a QR code to scan at the collection point. After enjoying the meal, the dish is returned to the collection point and scanned to complete the return. The deposit will then be refunded in cash.
What happens in the kitchen?
The kitchen staff receive the diner’s order and information that reusable packaging is required. The food is prepared and a customised label is printed. To link the meal to the order in the system, the QR code on the packaging is scanned. The food can now be collected by the guests.
What are common criticisms for reusable dishes and how can you solve them?
Can the need to return dishes inconvenience users?
A recurring criticism of systems for reusable dishes is, that many customers don’t want to take a detour to return their dish to wherever they got it from. The added effort discourages many, to not use the service at all. This nullifies any possibility of getting used to the concept and thus having a lasting impact on the environment.
With the integration of reusable dishes into the qnips infrastructure, the reusable dishes will always be bound to a company’s canteen. This offers a central point, that employees are likely to visit during their daily doings, thus avoiding unpleasant detours.
What if containers get stolen or lost?
Another point of concern for many who consider using a system for reusable dishes is how to ensure the return of the dishes after being given out to guests. To prevent a loss of the dishes, qnips offers the option to implement a deposit system, asking guests to pay a given sum which will be returned to them once they return the dish. This is, however, simply an option, and can be turned off, should you prefer an honor-based system instead.
Alternatively, an in-between option can be selected, where using the dish is free, but users must pay a late fee should they not return it within a certain timeframe.
What to “take away” for the future
Reusable dishes are valuable tools in both securing customer satisfaction and increasing sustainability in your canteen. Our reusable dish solutions (Honor-based, late fees and deposit) fulfill our customers’ needs and offer high comfort and efficiency, while lasting long. Easy to implement, they save money and material, while requiring only a minimum of additional management.
Join us as we redefine the future of contract catering, one meal at a time. Let’s get in touch!
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