A Reddit user's late-night find behind a Little Caesars inspired conversations about food waste in the United States.
What happened?
A member of the r/DumpsterDiving community shared photos of five stacked Little Caesars boxes.
"All of these boxes were completely full of pizza — and out of the many pepperoni ones, there was exactly one cheese," the user wrote.
They found even more boxes deeper in the dumpster but grabbed only what was sitting on top.
The Redditor took the pizzas home, wrapped slices in plastic, and froze them for future meals. "Now whenever I want pizza, I can just grab a bundle and bake it in the oven. Super easy," they explained.
"God's work, so far as I'm concerned. No sense whatsoever in that going in a landfill," one commenter replied. "And a damn shame people are hungry while restaurants and grocery stores throw away food."
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Why is food waste concerning?
Americans throw away an estimated 60 million tons of food annually, according to Recycle Track Systems. The Department of Agriculture estimates the waste accounts for 30-40% of the entire food supply.
When food rots in landfills, it emits methane, a heat-trapping gas that has more planet-warming potential than carbon dioxide.
Food waste drains resources, too. Growing, processing, and transporting food that's never eaten wastes water, energy, and labor. Meanwhile, millions of Americans experience food insecurity.
The situation becomes more complicated when considering donation options. Food must meet safety standards before restaurants can donate it, creating legal and logistical hurdles. When donation isn't feasible, composting organic matter is another way to keep food out of landfills.
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Giving me money back 💰 Is Little Caesars doing anything about this?
Little Caesars operates a 40-year-old charitable program called the Love Kitchen, which has served nearly four million people through mobile pizza trucks. However, the company does not report any food waste reduction policies or partnerships with hunger relief organizations such as Feeding America.
Some individual franchise locations distribute leftovers through food rescue apps including Too Good to Go or local food banks, but these efforts appear inconsistent across stores. The company has published no sustainability reports or environmental commitments.
The Hot-N-Ready business model, which requires pre-cooking large quantities of pizza, may contribute to overproduction and waste.
What's being done about food waste more broadly?
Several states have passed laws that require large food generators to divert organic waste from landfills through composting or donation programs, while countries such as France fine supermarkets for throwing away edible food.
You can cut down on food waste by planning meals in advance, storing food properly, and understanding date labels (for instance, "best if used by" designations indicate quality, not safety).
Support restaurants that partner with food rescue organizations, and compost at home or locally through government programs. Many communities have curbside compost collection services that turn food scraps into nutrient-rich soil.
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