Prevention Meets Payoff – Practical Waste Reduction Assistance for Restaurants

More than 1 in 6 Denverites experience food insecurity. At the same time, U.S restaurants generate 11.4 million tons of food waste, at a cost of over $25 billion annually.

Denver restaurants are stepping up to eliminate wasted food and support the City’s zero-waste and climate goals. Since 2025, CET and Diversion Designers have been supporting the City and County of Denver with waste prevention technical assistance programs for local restaurants before the City’s Universal Recycling and Composting Ordinance begins in September 2026. The team has supported over 50 restaurants in their journeys to waste reduction, by developing customized strategies for food waste reduction and assisting in the implementation of reusable service ware. These actions prevent waste and support restaurants’ triple-bottom line by reducing disposal costs, lowering carbon emissions, and keeping edible food in the community. In this session, we will showcase Denver’s innovative programs, share case studies, and report on lessons learned.