Objective: Many colleges are removing trays from their dining facilities in hope of reducing waste. How does not having a tray impact food choice?
Design: A field study was conducted in a university cafeteria (n 417) on two evenings with identical menus, one with tray service and one without.
Setting: A dining hall of a large north-eastern university, USA.
Subjects: Undergraduate students.
Results: Trayless dining decreased the percentage of diners (average age 19.1 years) who took salad by 65.2% but did not decrease the percentage who took dessert, leading to a markedly higher ratio of dessert to salad.
Conclusions: Cafeterias going trayless should consider complementary policies to encourage balanced diets.
Keywords: Behavioural economics; Dessert; Dining hall; Food waste; Salad; Smarter lunchrooms.