Dining model makeover: How room service and café-style can reduce food waste and boost resident wellbeing

In the quest to tackle food waste and enhance resident wellbeing in aged care facilities, innovative dining models like room service and café-style dining are emerging as transformative solutions.

The Australian Government’s Hospital and Aged Care Sector Action Plan Report 2025 highlights these approaches as high-impact strategies for reducing plate waste while empowering residents with greater choice and autonomy. By aligning meal provision with individual preferences and appetites, these models not only address environmental and economic challenges but also align with the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards, effective 1 November 2025, which prioritise dignity, safety, and individualised care.

This article explores how aged care leaders can adopt these dining innovations to drive sustainability and improve resident outcomes.

Room service: Reducing waste, enhancing nutrition

Room service, inspired by hotel-style dining, allows residents to order meals on demand, aligning meal times with their schedules, preferences, and appetites. The Sector Action Plan Report 2025 showcases compelling evidence of its impact. In one hospital adopting this model, plate waste plummeted by 59%, dropping from 22.7% to 12% (measured by energy content).

Daily waste at another site within the same hospital group decreased from 35-40 kg to 25 kg. Beyond waste reduction, room service significantly boosted nutritional outcomes. The average daily energy intake for patients increased from 4801 kJ under a traditional meal schedule to 6761 kJ with room service, reflecting higher food consumption when residents have agency over what and when they eat.

The benefits are clear: room service reduces overproduction by eliminating pre-plated trays and buffet waste, as meals are prepared closer to the time of consumption. It also enhances resident satisfaction by offering flexibility, particularly for those with fluctuating appetites or medical needs. For instance, maternity patients in one facility ordered four to five meals daily, tailored to their higher energy requirements, while others averaged 2.5 meals, avoiding unnecessary portions. This customisation ensures meals are both appealing and appropriate, directly addressing the report’s identified hotspot of plate waste, which accounts for approximately 30% of food served in healthcare settings.

However, implementing room service is not without challenges. It requires significant organisational change, including kitchen redesign, staff training, and system upgrades to manage on-demand ordering.

The report notes that not all resident populations benefit equally; those with dementia or mental health challenges may struggle to order independently, necessitating structured support. Convincing executives of the investment’s value can also be difficult, given perceived high costs and the need to adapt established food service systems. Despite these hurdles, the report suggests that facilities can mitigate risks through phased implementation, starting with pilot programs to test feasibility and build staff confidence.

Café-style dining: Autonomy and engagement

Café-style dining, where residents select meals from buffet or café settings, offers another promising approach, particularly in aged care facilities. The Plan highlights its potential to reduce waste by allowing residents to choose portions that match their appetites, while also fostering social interaction and cognitive engagement. In some facilities, cafés have replaced traditional kitchens entirely, enabling residents to order food in a familiar, social environment. This model supports autonomy, a key principle of the new Aged Care Quality Standards, and has been linked to improved wellbeing and potentially reduced cognitive decline.

From a waste perspective, café-style dining reduces plate waste by aligning meal choices with resident preferences. Visual and social cues in buffet settings can stimulate appetite, encouraging consumption. For example, residents may be more likely to eat when they see others enjoying similar meals. However, the report acknowledges initial challenges, such as increased waste as residents experiment with buffet options. Over time, consumption patterns stabilise, enabling more accurate forecasting and portion control. The Catering Sector Action Plan provides additional strategies, such as clear portion size communication and effective food display, to manage buffet waste.

Ensuring equitable access is a critical consideration. Residents with mobility or cognitive impairments may struggle to navigate buffet-style settings, potentially leading to unconsumed food. The report recommends staff training to assist these residents and infrastructure adjustments, such as accessible dining areas, to ensure inclusivity. By addressing these challenges, café-style dining can deliver both environmental and social benefits, making it a viable option for aged care facilities seeking to enhance resident experience while reducing waste.

Overcoming challenges with practical solutions

Both room service and café-style dining require careful planning to overcome operational and cultural barriers. The Plan offers practical solutions to ensure success:

• Improved forecasting: Facilities can leverage data from electronic ordering systems to predict demand more accurately, reducing overproduction in both room service and buffet settings. For instance, digital platforms like CBORD, cited in the report, enable precise ingredient ordering, minimising surplus stock.
• Staff training: Comprehensive training is essential to equip staff with the skills to manage new dining models. This includes educating kitchen teams on flexible meal preparation and training care staff to assist residents with ordering or navigating café settings.
• Pilot programs: Starting with small-scale trials allows facilities to test these models, assess their impact, and build stakeholder buy-in. The report’s recommendation for government-funded pilot grants can support this approach, enabling aged care providers to innovate without significant financial risk.
• Resident engagement: Involving residents in menu design and meal selection, as suggested in the report, ensures offerings are culturally appropriate and appealing, further reducing waste. For café-style dining, taste panels and feedback loops can refine menu options to match resident preferences.

Why it matters

Room service and café-style dining offer aged care leaders a dual opportunity to address food waste and align with the 2025 Aged Care Quality Standards, which emphasise dignity, choice, and individualised care. By reducing plate waste, these models contribute to environmental sustainability, with the report estimating that a 5% reduction in institutional food waste could save $64 million annually and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 45,022 tonnes by 2033.

Economically, they enhance profitability, with potential sector-wide gains of $163,586 per year. Most importantly, these innovations improve resident wellbeing by offering greater control over meals, fostering social connections, and ensuring nutritional needs are met.

For aged care leaders, adopting these dining models represents a strategic pathway to redefine food services as a cornerstone of quality care. By investing in staff training, leveraging data-driven tools, and starting with pilot programs, facilities can overcome implementation challenges and achieve measurable outcomes.

As the sector navigates post-pandemic challenges and responds to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s call for improved mealtime experiences, room service and café-style dining offer a forward-thinking approach to delivering sustainable, resident-centred care.