How Many Garbage Bags Does Your Restaurant Use Per Month? (Carton Calculator)

Most venues either overstock bin liners and clog the store room, or run out on a Friday night and pay retail emergency prices. This guide gives you a simple garbage bag calculator: count for one week, multiply for a month, convert to cartons — so you always have the right 72L or 82L heavy-duty bags on hand.

MRA Packaging supplies 72L Black Heavy Duty – 250pcs/CTN (400+360×900mm) and 82L Black Heavy Duty – 200pcs/CTN (460+350×960mm) for restaurants, cafes, takeaways and catering. Range: Garbage Bags collection. For choosing between the two sizes, see our garbage bag selection guide.

1. What Decides Your Usage

Four variables drive how many bags a venue burns through. Get these right and the maths below is accurate within 10–15%:

• Number of bins lined daily. Count every bin that gets a fresh bag — pass, prep, dish pit, front-of-house, bathrooms (if using the same stock). A 40-seat restaurant often runs 5–8 lined bins; a small cafe runs 3–4.
• Changes per bin per day. Quiet lunch bin: once. Dish-pit bin on Friday: 3–4 times. Coffee-grounds bin: twice. Do not assume one bag per bin per day.
• Covers and menu type. 100 covers of fried takeaway generate far more bulky waste than 100 covers of plated fine dining. Oily, wet menus fill bags by weight before volume.
• Bag size vs bin size. A bag 10–15cm taller than the bin folds over and stays put. A short bag slips in, staff double-bag to compensate, and usage doubles. Measure once.

2. The One-Week Count (Do This First)

Do not guess — count. Put a tally sheet on the store-room door for 7 normal trading days. Mark every bag taken, split by 72L and 82L if you stock both. Include splits and double-bags as used — they are real consumption. At week's end you have your baseline: bags per week. Multiply by 4.3 for bags per month (52 weeks ÷ 12 months). Example: a cafe using 28 bags/week needs about 120 bags/month.

3. Benchmark Table: What Similar Venues Use

Use this to sanity-check your count. Figures assume single-bagging with correct bin fit:

4. Set the Reorder Point So You Never Run Out

Keep one open carton plus one sealed backup per fast size on the shelf. Reorder the day the backup is opened — not when the open carton empties. For a venue using one 72L carton every 6 weeks, that means holding 2 cartons (500 bags ≈ 12 weeks cover) and reordering at the halfway mark. Delivery from a Sydney supplier to metro venues is typically days, so 2–3 weeks of cover at reorder is comfortable; regional venues should hold 4+ weeks.

5. Cut Usage Without Cutting Hygiene

• Right-size every bin. A 60L bin lined with an 82L bag wastes capacity; a deep bin lined with a short bag causes double-bagging. Fix fit first — it cuts 10–20% overnight.
• Separate dry from wet. Dry cardboard and bottles do not need heavy-duty bags. Reserve 72L/82L heavy-duty for wet kitchen waste; use lighter handling for dry.
• Tie at the bin, never drag. Dragging causes splits that cost a second bag plus mop time. Lift straight to the wheelie bin.
• Flatten bulky waste. Break down boxes and squash bottles before binning. Volume reduction of 20–30% is normal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cartons should a new restaurant order first?

Start with one carton of 72L (250pcs) and one of 82L (200pcs) if you run mixed bins, or two of the size matching your main bins. Count week one, then adjust. See Garbage Bags.

72L or 82L for cost per bag?

72L gives 250 bags per carton versus 200 for 82L, so it is cheaper per bag. But if staff double-bag 72L in deep bins, the 82L single-bag is cheaper in practice. Fit decides.

How do caterers handle event spikes?

Hold a separate event buffer — one sealed 82L carton per 200–300 guests on top of weekly stock. Do not raid daily stock for events.

Do you supply bulk for businesses?

Yes, carton quantities with fast Sydney dispatch. Browse all products.