Tabete: Japanese App Fighting Cafe Food Waste

I recently wrote about Excelsior Caffé (you can check out that article here), and one of its recent notable business moves was joining Tabete.

I thought this was such a unique concept that I thought of writing a whole article.

This food-sharing app aims to decrease food waste in a satisfying way. Participation in Tabete, a platform operated by Co-cooking Co., Ltd., could be considered both a practical and a moral choice.

What is Tabete? – Japanese Unique App Solution to food waste at cafes

What Is Tabete?

Tabete, the name of which translates into a pun that means both "to eat" and "the eater," is essentially a platform that connects users with food that is still fine to eat but is likely to be wasted because of the business's impending closing time.

As an end-user, by installing the app and registering your close-by and favorite restaurants, you get notified when the participating restaurants have some left-over, and you can purchase them on the app at a reduced price. What a great idea!

There are more than a thousand shops registered with the service. Most of them are in Tokyo, but the app's reach has extended to Saitama, Ishikawa, Kanagawa, and other locations.

Tabete, launched in 2018, offers a solution for an important social issue. It has garnered recognition and commendation from various distinguished award-giving bodies such as Ruby Biz, Rakuten, Forbes, and the Japanese government itself. It continues to gain popularity as its increasing number of users inevitably turns "Tabete" into a household name.

Business with a Conscience

In the face of prevalent hunger in many impoverished parts of the world, wasting food - even in the first world where there is an abundance - is regarded as unconscionable. This places food businesses in a quandary. They have standards to maintain, so they can't serve anything that falls even the slightest bit short of these. Often, food and drinks that are still perfectly fine to consume, but may not be in the freshest or most presentable state, are discarded. Thus, food waste is considered a necessary evil.

Tabete, with its "food rescue" campaign, allows dining establishments to minimize the amount of still-edible food that they have to get rid of at the end of a business day.

Better Business Practice

Anytime a restaurant or coffee shop has to throw out day-old or less-than-perfect menu items, that's a hit on their profit. If they can sell it, even at a discounted price, that's better than a complete loss. By participating in such a food-sharing program, the store also widens its scope of exposure and may gain new customers.

Being able to sell about-to-be-discarded products is not only a sales matter for the business. It also has an economical impact in terms of garbage disposal costs. It may also affect employee satisfaction. It can be very stressful to throw out still-good food. Many feel inclined to get a different job to avoid having to do that.

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A post shared by TABETE | #フードロス削減 🍞 (@tabete.me)

The Tabete System

Tabete is commission-based, so there is no actual joining, usage, or membership fee for either the stores or the customers. From the business side, stores list food items, both actual menu contents and mere ingredients, that they wish to take a last stab at selling before they have to discard them.

What products would qualify for a Tabete lineup? In a café, these may include sandwiches and dishes that won't carry over to the next day, imperfect-looking baked goodies, coffee beans or grounds that are about to go past their date of freshness or that may have worn-looking packaging, etc. They must all be at a quality that can still be safely and enjoyably consumed.

Participating restaurants and cafés are not required to post every day. So, it's okay if they don't have anything to list.

At the customers' end, if they want to check out what's available, they can search by station or prefecture. It's necessary to note that this is not a food delivery service. Purchases are available for pick-up, and it's imperative that buyers check the designated time for it before placing their order, or they might belatedly find that they cannot make it to the store in that time frame.

The Excelsior Caffé Case

Doutor Coffee, which operates Excelsior Caffé, ran a trial period for Tabete participation with six of its stores before deciding on listing more. These are the numbers resulting from January 2021 to November 2021, which ultimately convinced them to sign up a total of 50 locations.

Rescued meals - 2,255
Reduced food waste - 254.32 kg
Converted value of reduced CO2 emission - 698.37 kg

Japanese coffee shop chain Excelsior to curb food loss via food-sharing service TABETE https://t.co/AReMADqkky

Learn more about coffee shops in Japan here! https://t.co/hliL6VHaZk pic.twitter.com/Cbqv9Vyf47
— Japanese Coffee Co. (@JpnCoffeeCo) November 26, 2021

Final Thoughts

Japan's estimated food waste or loss is about 6.12 million tons a year. Tabete's impact may not yet put a big dent on that number, but it's continually growing. Nevertheless, any reduction may be considered significant. The culture it is promulgating is also bound to carry out to other food sectors. With its success, Japan can expect to see more responsible food production and consumption from all pertinent areas of society.

FAQs about Tabete and Japanese Food Waste Apps

What is Tabete, and how does it work?

Tabete (たべて, "please eat") is a Japanese mobile app that connects consumers with cafés, restaurants, and food retailers selling end-of-day surplus food at significant discounts. Customers browse available items in their area through the app, reserve items via mobile payment, and pick up at the merchant within a designated time window. The model is similar to international apps like Too Good To Go or OLIO.

The economic logic: cafés and restaurants throw away significant food at end-of-day (pastries that didn't sell, prepared sandwiches with short shelf life, perishable items past peak freshness). Tabete lets these merchants recover some revenue from food they'd otherwise discard, while customers get access to often-quality food at 30-70% discounts. Win-win for merchants, customers, and food waste reduction.

Tabete launched in Japan in 2018 and has grown to thousands of participating merchants in Tokyo, Osaka, and other major Japanese cities. Coffee shops are among the most-active categories — pastries and prepared sandwiches that don't sell during the day end up on Tabete in evening listings.

How does Japanese food waste differ from other countries' food waste situations?

Japan generates roughly 6 million tons of food waste annually — proportionally one of the highest food waste rates among developed economies. Cultural factors contribute: emphasis on freshness ("fresh-day-only" pastries don't sell after their day), strict expiration date observance, and high standards for visual presentation that disqualify slightly-imperfect products from sale.

Japanese food retail has unusually short shelf-life standards compared to Western markets. Convenience stores discard food well before actual expiration. Bakeries often discard same-day inventory at closing rather than carrying over to next day. The waste rate is high precisely because Japanese standards for freshness and presentation are stricter than international norms.

Tabete and similar Japanese food waste solutions specifically address this Japanese-context waste pattern. Western food waste solutions targeting different waste patterns (large-volume restaurant kitchen waste, supply-chain inefficiencies) don't quite fit Japan's situation; Japan-specific apps fill the gap.

Are there similar food waste apps outside Japan?

Yes, growing globally. Too Good To Go is the largest international equivalent — operates in 17+ European countries and recently expanded to U.S. cities. OLIO is UK-based and focuses on neighbor-to-neighbor food sharing. Imperfect Foods (U.S.) addresses cosmetic-imperfect produce. Flashfood (U.S./Canada) targets grocery store discounted food.

Each app has slightly different focus: Tabete targets cafés and restaurants; Too Good To Go is broader; OLIO is community-driven; Imperfect Foods is produce; Flashfood is grocery. The international ecosystem of food waste apps is meaningful and growing.

If you live in a major U.S. city, Too Good To Go is the most-likely-to-be-available equivalent to Tabete. Coffee shops and bakeries are typical participants; the model works similarly to Tabete with end-of-day surplus reservation through the app.

How can cafés specifically use food waste apps to reduce waste?

Three patterns. First, end-of-day pastry rescues — pastries unsold by closing time become Tabete listings at 50%+ discount; customers pick up after work, reducing café waste while providing affordable food. Second, prepared sandwich and salad rescues — café lunch items past peak freshness but still safe to eat get listed for evening pickup. Third, coffee bean specials — cafés near roast-date limits can list bean bags as discount Tabete items.

From a café operations perspective, food waste apps reduce loss-account costs (food thrown away is pure cost) while building neighborhood goodwill (customers appreciating affordable access to café products). The administrative overhead is small; the cumulative impact on small-café economics can be meaningful.

The broader sustainability message also resonates with younger café customers. Cafés that participate in food waste apps signal sustainability commitment that resonates with millennial and Gen Z customer preferences. Brand alignment with environmental values matters in modern café marketing.

Should I use Tabete or similar apps as a customer?

Worth trying if available in your area. The model works for both economic value (food at 30-70% discounts) and environmental impact (food that would have been wasted gets eaten). Quality is generally good — items are typically same-day-fresh, just past the merchant's optimal sales window.

Practical tips: check the app daily during target times (early morning for breakfast pastries, late afternoon for lunch items, early evening for end-of-day specials). The best deals get reserved fast; checking promptly is necessary. Pick-up windows are usually narrow (30-60 minutes); plan timing carefully.

If you're a daily café customer who happens to live near multiple cafés, Tabete-style apps can meaningfully reduce your daily food costs while supporting cafés you already patronize. The integration into existing routine is the easiest path; don't try to make food waste apps your primary food source unless your schedule supports the timing constraints.

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About the author

Kei Nishida

Author, CEO Dream of Japan

info@japaneseCoffeeCo.com

Certifications: PMP, BS in Computer Science

Education: Western Washington University

Kei Nishida is a passionate Japanese tea and coffee connoisseur, writer, and the founder and CEO of Japanese Coffee Co. and Japanese Green Tea Co., both part of Dream of Japan.

His journey began with a mission to introduce the world to the unparalleled quality of Japanese green tea. Through Japanese Green Tea Co., he established the only company that sources premium tea grown in nutrient-rich sugarcane soil—an innovation that led to multiple Global Tea Champion awards.

Building on this success and his passion for Japanese craftsmanship, Kei expanded into the world of coffee, pioneering the launch of Japanese Coffee Co., the first company to bring Sumiyaki charcoal-roasted coffee to a global audience. His dedication to authenticity and quality ensures that this traditional Japanese roasting method, once a well-kept secret, is now enjoyed worldwide.

Beyond tea and coffee, Kei has also introduced Japan’s legendary craftsmanship to the world through Japanese Knife Co., making handmade katana-style knives—crafted by a renowned katana maker—available outside Japan for the first time.

Kei’s journey continues as he seeks out and shares the hidden treasures of Japan, one cup and one blade at a time.

What is Tabete? – Japanese Unique App Solution to food waste at cafes

What Is Tabete?

Business with a Conscience

Better Business Practice

The Tabete System

The Excelsior Caffé Case

Final Thoughts