Reducing food waste behavior in the Thai hotel restaurant industry: Extending the theory of planned behavior

Food waste (FW) poses a major sustainability challenge, as it depletes finite resources used in food production. Despite rising awareness, limited research explores hotel guests’ FW behavior (FWB). This study investigates FWB in Thai hotel restaurants, where tourism and food consumption are increasing. Using an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), we integrated four constructs: food taste, environmental concern, consumer awareness, and overconsumption. A survey of 440 Thai customers (aged 18–60) was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Findings reveal that perceived behavioral control significantly influences both intention to reduce FW (IRFW) and FWB, while subjective norms and attitudes do not. IRFW did not reduce FWB. Food taste positively affected IRFW but negatively impacted FWB. Environmental concern and consumer awareness influenced both IRFW and FWB. Overconsumption affected FWB but not IRFW. This study offers practical insights for hotels and policymakers to promote sustainable practices in hospitality.