Beginning in 2021, quick-service restaurants Burger King in the U.S. and Japan and Tim Hortons in Canada will pilot reusable, closed-loop container programs through TerraCycle’s circular packaging platform, Loop, to help in their efforts to reduce packaging waste. The programs will give guests the option of paying a deposit for reusable and returnable cups or food containers with their order that will be refunded when the packaging is returned. For Burger King, the partnership is being launched as part of its company-wide sustainability framework. Says Matthew Banton, Head of Innovation and Sustainability, Burger King Global, “As part of our Restaurant Brands for Good plan, we’re investing in the development of sustainable packaging solutions that will help push the foodservice industry forward in reducing packaging waste. The Loop system gives us the confidence in a reusable solution that meets our high safety standards, while also offering convenience for our guests on the go.”

Sift through the contents of your average fast-food haunt, and you’ll find plenty of single-use packaging bound for a landfill. OK, maybe don’t sift through that. Still, you’ll find lots of paper drink cups with a plastic coating, discarded ketchup sachets, and sandwich boxes galore, a veritable smorgasbord of mixed material QSR waste. Now, Burger King hopes to cut down on some of that waste, announcing a pilot program alongside Terracycle’s Loop that will give customers the option to select reusable packaging when they order their food. With the zero-waste packaging company behind them, BK will offer reusable containers and cups to customers in New York, Portland, and Tokyo starting in 2021.

Burger King restaurants are continuing efforts to minimize environmental impact across the globe by testing a new reusable packaging model that will help cut down on packaging waste. The brand, as part of its Restaurant Brands for Good framework, has launched a partnership with TerraCycle’s circular packaging service, Loop, to pilot a closed-loop system with zero-waste packaging that can be safely cleaned and refilled to be reused, again and again. Together with Loop, the trial will offer restaurant guests the option to conveniently reduce waste when ordering their favorite Burger King brand staples like the Whopper sandwich, soft drink or coffee in reusable sandwich containers or beverage cups.

While that Whopper is satisfying, Burger King knows that consumers want more than just another value meal. In a new pilot program, the iconic restaurant that has always done it your way is rolling out reusable packaging. With this focus on sustainability, consumers have another reason to make BK their preferred quick service restaurant. As seen in food trends, consumers want more from their food. Beyond knowing that their food is free from artificial colors and additives, they want companies to make responsible choices. From reducing waste to putting the planet first, these initiatives impact consumers decisions.

In a bit of non-cow farting news, Burger King is quietly experimenting with a potentially environmentally friendly change by testing out reusable packaging for food, soft drinks, and coffee, The Hill reports. BK is partnering with TerraCycle’s zero-waste delivery platform, called Loop, to get this started. When you order your food and choose the reusable packaging option for the first time, you’ll be charged a deposit fee which will be returned when the reusable packaging is returned, Burger King’s press release states. Everything will be washed and reused to prevent excess packaging waste.

In a bit of non-cow farting news, Burger King is quietly experimenting with a potentially environmentally friendly change by testing out reusable packaging for food, soft drinks, and coffee, The Hill reports. BK is partnering with TerraCycle’s zero-waste delivery platform, called Loop, to get this started. When you order your food and choose the reusable packaging option for the first time, you’ll be charged a deposit fee which will be returned when the reusable packaging is returned, Burger King’s press release states. Everything will be washed and reused to prevent excess packaging waste. I am in favor for this idea, though I’m sure, knowing me, some of these containers are going to sit in my car for a little too long. I can’t guarantee they’ll smell too good, either, but now that cold weather is coming, maybe it won’t be as bad as food remnants in summer heat. Or, I imagine, if people really like the packaging they’ll just keep it at home for a while and reuse it there, though I’m not sure how much use you could get out of a plastic clamshell box, except maybe as a place to save extra ketchup packets.