Not worth the paper they are printed on? The effectiveness of table signs in reducing buffet plate waste

IF 14.5 1区管理学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Tourism Management Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2025-11-14 DOI:10.1016/j.tourman.2025.105348

Anna K. Zinn , Danyelle Greene , Sergey Kozlov , Bettina Grün , Yash Pandey , Marius Portmann , Sara Dolnicar

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

All-you-can-eat buffets generate a substantial amount of food waste. Food production accounts for 26% of the world's total greenhouse gas emissions. Less food waste translates directly to carbon emission reductions. Buffet table signs are a frequently used communication tool in hotels and, if effective, represent a simple, cost-effective way to encourage guests not to overfill their plates. We tested several theory-based messages on table signs in a survey experiment (N = 500) and in a quasi-experimental field study at a hotel breakfast buffet, using average plate waste per guest in grams as the dependent variable. Several messages appeared promising in the survey. However, none reduced plate waste in the field, and two of them lowered guest satisfaction. With table signs widely used in hotels, this study demonstrates that this might be a risky strategy, which fails to achieve the intended outcome and can backfire in terms of the guest experience.

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不值得印在上面的纸？桌标在减少餐盘浪费方面的有效性

自助餐会产生大量的食物浪费。粮食生产占世界温室气体排放总量的26%。减少食物浪费直接转化为减少碳排放。自助餐桌上的标志是酒店里经常使用的沟通工具，如果有效的话，它是一种简单、经济的方式，可以鼓励客人不要吃得过多。我们在一个调查实验（N = 500）和一个准实验的酒店自助早餐现场研究中测试了几个基于理论的餐桌标志信息，以克为单位的每位客人的平均盘子浪费作为因变量。在调查中，有几条信息显得很有希望。然而，没有一家减少了现场的盘子浪费，其中两家降低了客人的满意度。随着餐桌标志在酒店的广泛使用，这项研究表明，这可能是一个有风险的策略，无法达到预期的结果，并可能在客人体验方面适得其反。

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来源期刊

Tourism Management Multiple-

CiteScore

24.10

自引率

7.90%

发文量

190

审稿时长

45 days

期刊介绍： Tourism Management, the preeminent scholarly journal, concentrates on the comprehensive management aspects, encompassing planning and policy, within the realm of travel and tourism. Adopting an interdisciplinary perspective, the journal delves into international, national, and regional tourism, addressing various management challenges. Its content mirrors this integrative approach, featuring primary research articles, progress in tourism research, case studies, research notes, discussions on current issues, and book reviews. Emphasizing scholarly rigor, all published papers are expected to contribute to theoretical and/or methodological advancements while offering specific insights relevant to tourism management and policy.