How to Choose Commercial Garbage Bags for Restaurants and Hospitality

Commercial garbage bags are an essential supply for restaurants, cafés, takeaway shops, catering businesses, hotels and other hospitality venues.

Food preparation, customer service and daily cleaning can generate a significant amount of waste, so choosing the right garbage bag is important for keeping bins practical, organised and ready for busy service periods.

For commercial environments, the right garbage bag is not simply the largest option available. Businesses should consider bin capacity, waste volume, bag strength and how frequently bins are emptied.

This guide explains what restaurants and hospitality businesses should consider when choosing commercial garbage bags.

Why Commercial Garbage Bags Matter

Restaurants and hospitality venues can produce different types and volumes of waste throughout the day.

Garbage bags may be used in:

• Commercial kitchens

• Food preparation areas

• Front-of-house areas

• Cleaning stations

• Staff areas

• Storage areas

• Café and takeaway counters

• General hospitality operations

Using a suitable garbage bag can help staff manage waste more efficiently and reduce the need to constantly replace bags that are too small for the bin or the amount of waste being generated.

MRA Packaging supplies commercial garbage bags for Australian businesses.

Start With Your Bin Size

The first thing to consider is the size of the bin your business uses.

A garbage bag should provide enough capacity to fit the bin properly without being excessively small or oversized.

Commercial bins can vary significantly between:

• Kitchens

• Dining areas

• Customer-facing spaces

• Cleaning stations

• Storage rooms

Before ordering garbage bags, check the capacity of your existing bins.

MRA Packaging currently offers heavy-duty garbage bag options including:

• 72L Garbage Bags

• 82L Garbage Bags

These sizes provide options for businesses using larger commercial bins.

Consider How Much Waste Your Business Produces

A small café and a busy restaurant may have very different waste requirements.

Consider:

• Number of customers served

• Number of operating hours

• Amount of food preparation

• Frequency of cleaning

• Number of bins in the venue

• How often waste is removed

Businesses with high waste volumes may require larger or more durable garbage bags.

For busy restaurants, takeaway businesses and hospitality venues, having sufficient cartons of garbage bags available is also important so staff are not left without replacements during service.

Choose the Right Capacity

Capacity is one of the easiest ways to compare commercial garbage bags.

72L Garbage Bags

A 72L garbage bag may be suitable for commercial bins where a large capacity is required but an 82L bag is unnecessary.

This size can be useful across:

• Restaurants

• Cafés

• Takeaway shops

• Commercial kitchens

• Hospitality businesses

• General cleaning areas

MRA Packaging supplies 72L heavy-duty garbage bags in bulk quantities for commercial customers.

Browse Commercial Garbage Bags

82L Garbage Bags

An 82L garbage bag provides additional capacity compared with a 72L bag.

It can be worth considering for:

• Larger commercial bins

• Higher-volume waste areas

• Busy kitchens

• Hospitality venues with significant daily waste

• Businesses that need additional bag capacity

Before ordering, make sure the dimensions and capacity suit the bins already used by your business.

Browse Commercial Garbage Bags

72L vs 82L Garbage Bags

The main difference is capacity.

The best option depends on the bin dimensions and the amount of waste generated.

A larger bag is not automatically better.

If the bag is much larger than the bin, it may be inconvenient to install and may use more material than necessary.

Consider Bag Strength

Capacity is not the only factor that matters in a commercial environment.

Restaurants and hospitality businesses may dispose of heavier or mixed waste than offices or household environments.

A commercial garbage bag should be appropriate for the expected contents.

Heavy-duty garbage bags can be useful in areas where bags regularly contain higher volumes of waste.

However, businesses should still avoid overfilling bags or placing inappropriate sharp objects inside them.

Garbage Bags for Commercial Kitchens

Commercial kitchens can generate significant waste throughout food preparation and service.

Typical kitchen waste can include:

• Food preparation waste

• Empty packaging

• Disposable supplies

• General kitchen waste

Because kitchen bins may fill quickly during busy periods, staff should have replacement bags readily available.

Businesses may also use multiple bin sizes across preparation, washing and storage areas, making it useful to check whether one garbage bag size works across all locations.

Garbage Bags for Restaurants

Restaurants often require garbage bags across both front-of-house and back-of-house areas.

Back-of-house bins may experience higher waste volumes, while dining and customer-facing areas may use different bin capacities.

Restaurants should consider:

• Kitchen bin capacity

• Cleaning frequency

• Daily customer volume

• Number of bins

• Storage space for bulk cartons

Having a reliable commercial supply can help reduce interruptions during busy trading periods.

Garbage Bags for Cafés

Cafés may generate waste from:

• Food preparation

• Coffee service

• Takeaway packaging

• Cleaning activities

• Customer areas

Even smaller hospitality venues can go through garbage bags quickly when bins are emptied several times per day.

Choosing the right size and keeping sufficient stock can make daily operations easier.

Garbage Bags for Takeaway Businesses

Takeaway shops often operate with high packaging and food preparation volumes.

Waste can accumulate rapidly during lunch and dinner periods.

Commercial garbage bags can therefore be an important part of back-of-house supplies alongside freezer bags, carry bags, roll bags and other packaging products.

You can view all MRA Packaging products for additional commercial supplies.

Garbage Bags for Hotels and Hospitality Venues

Larger hospitality operations may require garbage bags across numerous areas.

These can include:

• Kitchens

• Bars

• Cleaning stations

• Staff rooms

• Function spaces

• Food service areas

• General operational areas

Because different bins may be used throughout the venue, one bag size may not necessarily work everywhere.

Businesses should review their bin capacities before standardising their garbage bag supply.

How Often Are Your Bins Emptied?

Waste collection frequency can also influence the size of garbage bag you need.

A bin that is emptied frequently may not require the same capacity as a bin that collects waste over a longer period.

Ask:

• Are bins emptied after every service?

• Are they emptied several times per day?

• Does waste accumulate quickly?

• Are certain areas busier than others?

Understanding these patterns can help determine whether 72L or 82L bags are more suitable.

Do You Need Different Garbage Bag Sizes?

Many hospitality businesses use several types of bins.

For example:

• Smaller bins in customer areas

• Larger bins in commercial kitchens

• Larger waste bins in cleaning or storage areas

If your venue uses several large commercial bins with different capacities, keeping multiple garbage bag sizes available may be more practical.

Check the Bin Before Ordering

Before buying commercial garbage bags in bulk, check:

Bin Capacity

Look for the litre capacity printed on the bin or product specifications.

Bin Dimensions

Measure the width and height if necessary.

Current Bag Size

If your current garbage bag fits correctly, use it as a reference.

Waste Volume

Consider whether the bag regularly becomes overfilled before the bin is emptied.

Number of Bins

Businesses with multiple bins should calculate total daily or weekly usage.

How Many Garbage Bags Should Your Business Order?

Commercial businesses should consider their normal consumption rather than only the number of bins.

For example, a restaurant with ten bins may use far more than ten garbage bags each day if each bin is emptied multiple times.

Estimate:

Number of bins × average bag changes per day × trading days

This gives a rough indication of how many bags the business may require.

Bulk purchasing can make stock planning easier for businesses that use garbage bags continuously.

Benefits of Buying Commercial Garbage Bags in Bulk

Garbage bags are a recurring operating supply.

Buying in bulk can offer several practical advantages.

Maintain Stock Levels

Having additional bags available can reduce the risk of running out during busy periods.

Reduce Frequent Reordering

Commercial venues may use large numbers of garbage bags every week.

Carton quantities can reduce the need for frequent smaller orders.

Easier Inventory Management

Businesses can track carton usage and reorder before stock becomes low.

Suitable for High-Volume Operations

Restaurants, catering businesses and hospitality venues often require more waste bags than typical household users.

Common Mistakes When Choosing Garbage Bags

Avoiding a few common mistakes can make purchasing easier.

Choosing Only by Price

The cheapest bag may not be suitable if the capacity or strength does not match the business requirement.

Buying the Largest Bag Automatically

An unnecessarily large bag may not fit the bin correctly.

Ignoring Bin Capacity

Always check the litre capacity and physical dimensions of the bin.

Underestimating Usage

Commercial businesses can use bags quickly, particularly during busy trading periods.

Using One Size for Every Bin

Different areas of a restaurant or hospitality venue may use different bin capacities.

Quick Commercial Garbage Bag Checklist

Before ordering, check:

• What capacity is the bin?

• Is 72L or 82L more appropriate?

• How much waste does the area generate?

• How frequently is the bin emptied?

• Does the business require heavy-duty bags?

• How many bins are in operation?

• How many bags are used each week?

• Would multiple garbage bag sizes be useful?

These checks can help businesses choose more suitable commercial waste bags.

Shop Commercial Garbage Bags from MRA Packaging

MRA Packaging supplies packaging and everyday commercial supplies for restaurants, cafés, takeaway shops, catering businesses and hospitality operations.

For businesses requiring high-capacity waste bags, current options include:

72L Heavy Duty Garbage Bags

A large commercial garbage bag option for suitable bins and everyday hospitality waste requirements.

82L Heavy Duty Garbage Bags

A higher-capacity option for larger bins and commercial environments requiring additional waste capacity.

Browse all Garbage Bags

You can also browse all MRA Packaging products for freezer bags, carry bags, roll bags, liner bags, meat film wrap, thermal paper and other commercial supplies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size garbage bag should a restaurant use?

The correct size depends on the capacity and dimensions of the restaurant's bins. MRA Packaging offers commercial garbage bag options including 72L and 82L sizes.

Is a 72L or 82L garbage bag better?

Neither is automatically better. Choose according to the size of your bin and the volume of waste your business produces.

Are heavy-duty garbage bags useful for restaurants?

Heavy-duty bags can be useful in commercial environments that regularly generate larger or heavier volumes of waste. Businesses should still avoid overfilling bags or disposing of unsuitable sharp items.

How do I know what garbage bag size I need?

Check the litre capacity of your bin, measure it if necessary, and compare it with the garbage bags you currently use.

Should a restaurant keep more than one garbage bag size?

Potentially. Restaurants often use different bins in kitchens, cleaning areas and customer spaces, so multiple sizes may be useful.

Can hospitality businesses buy garbage bags in bulk?

Yes. MRA Packaging supplies products primarily for commercial and wholesale customers requiring carton or bulk quantities.

Where can I buy commercial garbage bags in Australia?

You can browse the MRA Packaging Garbage Bags collection for commercial garbage bag options suitable for Australian businesses.