Tool

Waste tracking log & intervention experiment planner

Interactive tool to log waste events, run controlled intervention experiments, capture root causes, and record financial impact. Designed to turn informal observations into repeatable experiments with saved entries, baseline analysis, and an ROI-oriented experiment planner.

Interactive Tool

Waste tracking log & intervention experiment planner

Purpose: Capture waste events, diagnose root causes, run small experiments, and track the financial impact so you can convert waste reductions into margin. Use this form to save one-off waste logs or to create and update experiment plans. Entries are stored so you can analyze baselines and measure results over time.

How to use: Choose the entry type, fill the fields shown, and press Save entry. Use the 'Waste event' entry to build a baseline. Use 'Experiment plan' to design a controlled trial. Use 'Financial update' to record measured savings after running an experiment.

Select whether you're logging a waste event, recording baseline analysis, checking root causes, planning an experiment, or updating financial impact.
Date of waste event or observation.
Time of the event or observation.
E.g., Line 1, Prep, Cold Station, Pass, Dishwasher.
Which shift was this?
Name or initials of staff who logged this.
Choose the best fitting category.
A short descriptor like 'over-sliced', 'burnt', 'not on menu', etc.
Describe what happened and any context (what was prepared, who was involved, equipment, timing).
Estimated weight of waste. If not measured, provide best estimate.
Use when waste is best counted as portions or pieces.
Estimated cost (ingredient cost) of the wasted portion.
Optional link to photo or POS ticket.
What was done immediately to stop or limit the waste?
Who will investigate or own the prevention action?
Date by which follow-up should be completed.
Use this entry type to record a short baseline summary for a station or category (what the average weekly waste looks like and top reasons).
Total baseline weekly weight for the scoped station or category.
Estimated weekly ingredient cost lost to waste.
Select all potential root causes observed.
Additional observations about causes or systemic issues.
Title for an intervention experiment (e.g., 'Portion guide + scale — West Line').
What do you expect will change and why? (One clear, testable sentence).
E.g., weekly kg of plate returns, remakes/day, portion variance (%), cost of waste per week.
Numeric baseline for the selected metric (from previous logs).
Period used to calculate baseline.
Person responsible for running and recording results.
When the experiment begins.
Planned length of the experiment.
Which stations, shifts or menu items are included.
Describe the change being tested (portion guide, prep timing change, cross-utilization, signage, scale, training, etc.).
Estimate percent reduction the intervention will produce.
Estimated weekly ingredient cost savings if target achieved.
Possible unintended effects, staff impacts, or operational risks.
Enter the measured metric value after the experiment ends.
Calculated reduction vs baseline.
Actual measured weekly savings.
Use this to record assumptions used for ROI calculations (ingredient cost %, throughput, average check).
What to do now based on results.
Record next steps, training needs, SOP updates, and who will track sustained improvement.
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