Working with Food Donation Connection to Help the Food Insecure
October 7, 2022
Did you know that the average restaurant in the US wastes between 25,000 and 75,000 pounds of food every year? Consider those numbers in light of the fact that less than 1.5% of that food is donated annually. Another eye-opening statistic: more than 34 million people (including 9 million children) are food insecure in this country. Last year alone, a little more than 10% of US households experienced food insecurity at some point in the year.
And while many restaurateurs have the best intentions of donating food scraps, some just don’t have the time or infrastructure to do so effectively. Until now.
We’ve partnered with Food Donation Connection (FDC) to help our QSRs take the guesswork out of food donation. It’s seamlessly integrated in the QSRSoft system, creating an automated process that takes them step by step through donating their food scraps to qualified local non-profit organizations. Here’s how it works, and why we’re so excited to be a part of it.
About Food Donation Connection
Food Donation Connection (FDC) is a food donation organization that was created to assist restaurants, retailers, hotels, universities, hospitals, and other businesses donate their surplus food. To date, they’ve helped coordinate more than 750 million pounds of food donations across the globe. These donations go to reputable hunger relief organizations, ensuring that the surplus food goes to those who really need it. FDC works with major restaurant chains, and have a staff dedicated to food safety (they are ServSafe® certified), so everything is handled with care. QSRs that have used FDC include known brands like McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC, Taco Bell, Chick-fil-A, Red Lobster, and Einstein Bros Bagels. QsrSoft has worked with FDC since 2021, and we’ve already helped QSRs donate hundreds of pounds of food with this exciting integration.
Benefits of the FDC Program
Making a real difference
FDC has helped food-service locations donate 65 million pounds of food last year alone. It has allowed many QSRs to be a part of this hunger relief movement through a vetted organization—and with an inventory tool they’re already using.
Donating food safely
FDC has trained their staff in food safety and safe transport of food donations, so there’s not an issue of spoiled or contaminated food. This ensures that food donations can be enjoyed by those who need it, and without worrying about freshness issues.
Supporting the community
Participating restaurant owners and operators are able to support their communities with a much-needed resource: food. Not only does donating food scraps give them a tangible way to help people, but it also boosts staff morale, and creates a positive example for all involved. This includes customers, who are always looking for socially responsible restaurants to support.
Enjoying tax savings
The CARES act of 2020 was modified to increase the cap of charitable donations of food inventory to 25% of net income for non-C corporations. This law encourages food donations by allowing restaurants who quality to claim an enhanced tax deduction. This deduction allows a business to write off twice the basis value of the donated food, or the basis value plus one-half of the food’s expect profit margin—whichever is less.
Keeping track of everything in real time
QsrSoft keeps track of these donations automatically. Our integration tracks each donation, and manages it all in a detailed Food Donation report.
Our QSRs are Making a Difference
Since we’ve implemented this integration, we’ve seen many of our QSR customers rush to use it, and with great success! For example: to date, 1,000 McDonald’s restaurants in the QSRSoft ecosystem are making food donations each day. This is wholesome surplus food that McDonald’s would otherwise have to discard—but instead, it’s providing meals to people in need.
Learn More About the QsrSoft Solution
Looking for ways to transform your back-end processes—from inventory to HR—into a well-run machine? Learn more about the QSRSoft system, designed specifically for QSRs like you, by requesting a demo today.