Food waste is a big issue in Turkey, and now the country’s Presidential Council on Agricultural and Food Policy is looking at a major shake-up in how hotels serve meals.
They’re thinking about swapping out the traditional all-you-can-eat buffet for an à la carte system, where guests order exactly what they want to eat.
The goal? Cut down on the huge amounts of food being thrown away every year.
A Proposal on the Table for President Erdoğan
Ramazan Bingel, who’s both a member of the council and head of the Turkish Restaurateurs’ Association, says this proposal could become law if it gets the green light from parliament.
Right now, many hotels offer all-inclusive deals — meaning unlimited food and drinks come included with your room.
But the new idea would have guests order specific dishes, which could help minimize waste.
Food Waste Numbers Paint a Grim Picture
According to Turkey’s Food Waste Prevention Fund, the country tosses out around 23 million tonnes of food each year.
Shockingly, about 35% of that food never even makes it to the kitchen table.
Fruits, veggies, and bread are the top casualties, with about 12 million pieces of bread discarded daily.
Bingel also points out that half of the popular “breakfast on plates” served in cafés ends up uneaten, even though the portions are small.
Experts Doubt the Impact on Tourism Industry
Despite the council’s concerns, some tourism insiders aren’t convinced the all-inclusive system will actually change anytime soon.
Artur Muradyan, Vice President of the Russian Tour Operators Association, says these ideas pop up regularly but don’t stick.
He believes hotels will just rename the system and keep doing business as usual, even if the government tries to intervene.
Hotel Owners Hold the Real Power
A source inside Turkey’s hospitality sector agrees that there’s no strong legal push to force hotels to abandon the all-inclusive model.
Ultimately, it’s up to the individual hotel owners whether they want to change how they serve guests.