What Does Wingstop Do With Leftover Food?

Food waste is a pervasive issue in the restaurant industry. According to ReFED, an organization that provides data on food waste in the United States, American restaurants generate around 11.4 million tons of food waste every year. Concerned consumers are starting to question what restaurants are doing to combat this issue, especially when it comes to chains like Wingstop. 

With over 2,500 locations, Wingstop certainly generates its fair share of excess food. However, the sad truth is that most of that food surplus ends up in the trash. In a recent Threads post regarding wasted food at restaurants, a former Wingstop employee confessed that workers have to toss unsold food all day long, going on to say, "[We] had so many orders that people wouldn't pick up, a lot of the homeless knew to come by after closing and ask," continuing, "I would give out [food] even though it wasnt allowed." 

Although many business owners fear liability issues when donating excess food, the good news is that there is a federal Good Samaritan Law that protects business owners in these instances. Enacted in 1996, the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act shields Americans from criminal or civil liability when they donate apparently wholesome food to people in need. Even so, many employees in the food industry, including at Wingstop, say that they are told to toss leftover food. 

Some Wingstop employees try to prevent food waste and help those in need at the same time. In a story shared on the Reddit community r/NoScrapLeftBehind, a Wingstop employee revealed how their location handled all the food that never got picked up on Super Bowl Sunday. 

First, the manager put the bagged food in clean trash bags and placed it beside the dumpster (rather than inside it). A caring employee took it one step further, taking the tossed food and delivering it directly to unhoused people. 

Wingstop is also doing its part to combat hunger in the community. The company has partnered with Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry Campaign and has offered grants to regional organizations, including food banks and other initiatives aimed at ending food insecurity. To date, Wingstop has given $2.2M to nonprofits. In addition, Wingstop's Team Member Assistance Program offers employees in crisis the opportunity to apply for financial support for living expenses such as groceries.