With the introduction of new 100% biodegradable cutlery for takeout orders, Toronto Pho can confirm that we are now fully green with all of our packaging and materials relating to delivery and takeout.
How We Did It
All of our takeout packagings is biodegradable, reducing our takeout waste at Toronto Pho to zero. We use things like wooden forks and spoons, chopsticks, paper tissues, toothpicks, and paper-based containers to circumvent the usual materials that are used which are plastic.
We no longer use any non-biodegradable materials with our takeout packaging in an effort to maintain that ‘zero waste’ mandate that we’ve assigned ourselves.
Why We Did It
Here are some restaurant statistics you may be surprised to learn about.
- Very few restaurants in Toronto offer biodegradable takeout containers, and the vast majority are non-recyclable, from straws to coffee lids, styrofoam containers, and plastic cutlery.
- The use of single-use plastics has increased by roughly 300% since the start of the pandemic, according to a study by the International Solid Waste Association.
- According to a survey done by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, more than 63 percent of Canadians ordered food online between June and December of last year. The vast majority of these orders were arranged with non-recycled, non-biodegradable takeout containers.
- The demand for takeout and delivery has risen in Canada tremendously. Compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 4 million more Canadians are ordering food online every week.
- The average restaurant wastes 4-10% of the food they’ve purchased before it ever reaches the customer. This is attributed to larger-than-average portions, inflexibility from suppliers, and an extensive menu.
This switch to going 100% green is something we committed to doing long before the COVID-19 pandemic began here in Canada. We were determined to do it regardless of what was happening in the world as we believe it to be incredibly important.
Toronto Pho uses so many ingredients that are freshly picked from the Earth. We wouldn’t be able to do authentic Vietnamese cuisine without the role of herbs, vegetables, and the connections our menu has to the ground. As a business, we have a responsibility to protect the Earth and biodegradable packaging, though admittedly more expensive than plastics, is a choice we’re willing to make.
An unfortunate thing about this decision is how it became more expensive due to extreme increases in shipping costs in the past year relating to supply chain issues and restrictions connected to COVID-19. Despite the unexpected rise in costs, we are still happy to have kept going with the switch and are sticking with the mandate of being a Toronto green restaurant. Planet Earth is much more valuable than money. No question. We encourage other Toronto restaurants to join us in going green and making the switch to recycling-friendly biodegradable materials.
In fact, if you are a restaurant and want to go green like Toronto Pho, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re happy to provide some guidance on how to do that and even direct you to suppliers if needed.
What You Need To Know
When you order a takeout order from Toronto Pho – which you can do by calling or online – ask for utensils to be added to the order or otherwise, we won’t include them as a method of preventing unnecessary waste. There is also a small additional cost to add takeout cutlery of 30 cents. We want to encourage people to only request cutlery if they’re needed. If you have takeout delivered to your home and are the type – and let’s face it, most of us are! – who rarely use the cutlery in the bag, maybe you can save yourself the waste by using the reusables you already have. We don’t like so many utensil packages getting tossed and thrown out without even being opened. We understand why though. It’s because most people don’t need them. This is why we’ve set things up the way we have, as request-only.
At the end of the day, we know our efforts are making a positive contribution to Toronto's waste reduction. As a restaurant, we do not want to be responsible for creating unnecessary waste. That’s not what we went into business for.
The now-green Toronto Pho is more eco-friendly and sustainable than ever before with the announcement of biodegradable cutlery. We are here to be a source of warm, tasty foods and serve individuals and families from all over our beautiful city. Feel encouraged to browse our menu online and put in an order for your Toronto takeout favourites!
Find out where to get the best pho soup and traditional Vietnamese food in your area. Or order online for pickup or delivery through our easy to use app available for both Android and iPhone smart phones. We serve delicious authentic pho and other Vietnamese dishes late nights 7 days a week.
