Zeitco collector resources
How to decide whether a restaurant UCO stop is worth adding
Estimate the monthly contribution of a potential UCO restaurant account using your own gallons, price, route cost, service time, and expenses.
A restaurant that produces used cooking oil can still be a poor route stop if it sits far from your existing customers or takes too long to service. Estimate what the account contributes before promising a pickup schedule or buying equipment.
Use your own numbers
Start with a conservative estimate of gallons you can actually collect in a month. Multiply by the buyer price you have been quoted for the relevant oil and quantity. Then subtract any amount you pay the restaurant, your added driving expense, extra labor, container cost, and other account-specific costs. Keep general overhead separate so the account's contribution is not mistaken for take-home profit.
Use an actual buyer quote when you have one. Prices, accepted quantities, quality adjustments, and transport terms vary, so an online calculator should not substitute for a proposal.
Count service time and route fit
Estimate the miles and work hours the stop adds, including travel, access, transfer, cleaning, and recordkeeping. Compare the resulting contribution per service hour with other opportunities available to you. A nearby account may fit well even if it generates fewer gallons than an isolated stop that requires a special trip.
Keep assumptions visible. If restaurant volume is unknown, label the result as a scenario and ask the manager about fill frequency before treating it as a forecast. Recalculate after several actual service visits.
Check the operating terms
Confirm who owns each container, who authorizes its placement, what material belongs in it, and how access works. Respect any existing collection agreement and agree on responsibilities before moving equipment. Make sure the projected volume fits your available storage and the requirements of the buyer you plan to use.
The UCO route stop calculator lets you test your own assumptions in your browser. It does not request or transmit your numbers.
Zeitco pays the same day by wire after weighing and testing are complete. Include the agreed payment trigger and your actual buyer proposal when you plan the cash needed to serve a new restaurant.