Actually worked in food service for years. The policy is usually about liability, not just inventory. If someone gets sick from free leftovers, the restaurant could still get sued. That's why most places just throw it out, even though it sucks. It's a legal shield more than a pure profit thing.

Totally. The weird part is how it becomes the new normal so fast. People just stop seeing the problem after a while. Makes you wonder what else we're all putting up with without even noticing anymore.