Rarely are consumers allowed to see what goes on behind the scenes at a restaurant — and that includes the types of food that get thrown out at the end of a shift.
But one Reddit user is showing the reality of the food waste issue at a popular pizza chain.
The user shared a photo of a stack of pizza boxes from their local Little Caesars pizza restaurant on the r/mildlyinfuriating forum.
"I heard yall hate food waste too 1 Afternoon worth," the user wrote above the picture. It looks like a total of 45 pizza boxes stacked in the back-of-house of the restaurant — all presumably which went in the garbage.
Little Caesars isn't the only chain that has a problematic history with food waste. Disgruntled employees shared photos on Reddit of Starbucks bakery cases that had unwrapped food sitting around — which was also presumably thrown out at the end of the shift.
Panera Bread has also gotten its fair share of backlash after photos were posted of perfectly edible bread in bags behind the store — even though the restaurant was only a few miles from a shelter that could have used the products.
The restaurant industry alone produces 11 million pounds of food waste annually. Not only is this food brought to landfills where it releases plant-warming gases, but it's also kept out of the hungry bellies of individuals who could have really used it.
The policy that food waste needs to be destroyed rather than donated is often facilitated by companies who aren't willing to take the risks of someone getting sick from donated food — which cannot legally happen, as long as the donation is in good faith — or not having the capacity to bring that food to a shelter or food bank.
The simpler solution would be for businesses to make enough food to accurately reflect their margins rather than cooking food ahead of time as Little Caesars does.
Other Reddit users were stunned by this worker's find.
"I have no words for what we witness," one user wrote.
Several other users suggested the potential for donating the pizza at the end of the night or at least making less.
"That's such poor management. They need to make less," one user shared. "This is just stupid! If management had to purchase what wasn't sold every evening I bet management would be smarter about making so many."
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