Evaluation of patients' satisfaction with food services and assessment of plate waste in Cypriot hospitals.

Hospital food services and the resulting food waste impact patient satisfaction, health outcomes, healthcare costs, and the environment. This cross-sectional study assessed food waste and patient satisfaction in five public hospitals in Cyprus, involving 844 inpatients. Patient characteristics and responses to the 21-item Acute Care Hospital Foodservice Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (ACHFPSQ) were recorded. Plate waste was evaluated using photographs and a five-point visual scale (0 to 1) to estimate food consumption. Hunger and overall satisfaction were also assessed. While 77.8% rated food services as good or very good, food quality received the most negative feedback. Only 31.2% finished their main dish entirely; 29.5% and 26.3% left ¼ and ½, respectively. For dessert, 48.2% finished it, while 13.3% left it untouched. These findings reveal a gap between general satisfaction and perceived food quality, underscoring the need for targeted public health strategies to enhance food quality and reduce waste in hospitals.