Dock‑side grills on Lake Howard Drive, cafés along Central Avenue, and food trucks feeding families at LEGOLAND® Florida Resort pour out buckets of sizzling fryer oil every day. We collect every drop for free, pay you up to $0.50 per gallon, and refine that grease into clean‑burning biodiesel. Call (305) 204‑5207 anytime; a hurricane‑rated bin can roll up before tomorrow’s lunch rush—even if Cypress Gardens Blvd jams or an afternoon thunder‑boomer sweeps across the Chain of Lakes.
Why Winter Haven Kitchens Pick Us (99.6 % on‑time in 2025)
Our drivers sneak in before the Cypress Gardens Blvd dawn crawl, stage vacuum tankers beside the Polk Parkway Spur, and never miss a pickup when LEGOLAND’s Brick Dash or Chain‑O‑Lakes Boat Parade fills parking lots. Every gallon is logged in Polk County’s FOG portal, and your rebate climbs automatically as volume grows. The payoff: punctual pickups, zero surprise fees, and bigger quarterly checks—backed by our 99.6 % on‑time record.
Testimonials
“Your crew cleared both bins before the park gates opened, and our last rebate hit $674.”
— Tia Morales, Food Ops Manager — LEGOLAND® Florida Resort
“Railroad crossings stall Central Ave, but your night tanker hit 1 a.m. sharp—at $0.47 / gal we added outdoor fans.”
— Brian Keller, Owner — Grove Roots Brewing Co., Downtown Winter Haven
Local Challenges & Custom Solutions
| Winter Haven Headache | Our Fix | What You Gain |
|---|---|---|
| Cypress Gardens Blvd gridlock | Pre‑dawn route + Lake Roy detour | On‑time guarantee |
| Railroad crossings downtown | Tanker staging north of 3rd St SW | No delay surcharges |
| Afternoon lightning storms | 316‑SS lids & gasket seals | No spills; 98 % purity |
| LEGOLAND event surges | Dedicated park‑loop tanker (10 p.m.–2 a.m.) | No overflow fines |
| Boat‑parade lake spray | Zinc‑coated wheels & rustproof bins | 5‑yr bin life, zero rust cost |
Always‑Free Services
| Service | Local Detail | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Bin delivery & swap | Hurricane‑rated stainless to 140 mph | FREE |
| Scheduled collection | Traffic‑aware routes (Mon–Sat) | FREE |
| Event/surge pickup | Extra tankers for Boat Parade & Brick Dash | FREE |
| Compliance documentation | Polk e‑manifests auto‑emailed | FREE |
| ESG impact reporting | Chain‑O‑Lakes water‑quality metrics | FREE |
| Staff refresher training | On‑site at Downtown, Cypress Gardens & Dundee Rd | FREE |
| Quarterly pressure‑wash | Biodegradable citrus wash; mats captured on‑site | FREE |
Emergency spill response 24/7—avg arrival 46 min. All collections power our used cooking oil recycling stream—zero waste, maximum rebate.
Collection Schedule
| Zone | ZIP | Days | Time Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown & Lake Howard | 33881 | Mon & Thu | 5–7 a.m. |
| Cypress Gardens Blvd | 33884 | Tue & Fri | 5–7 a.m. |
| LEGOLAND® Florida | 33884 | Wed | 6–8 a.m. |
| Polk Parkway East | 33830 | Mon & Sat | 6–8 a.m. |
| Dundee & Lake Hamilton | 33838 | Thu | 5:30–7:30 a.m. |
| Event Surge | 33880‑33884 | As needed | 10 p.m.–2 a.m. |
Step‑by‑Step Pickup Workflow
- Same‑Day Walk‑Through — ServSafe tech measures fryers, selects a bin, and trains cooks on splash‑free pours.
- Bin Delivery — Hurricane‑rated container arrives within 24 h; geo‑tag photo confirms placement.
- On‑Site Pump & Scan — Vacuum hose empties bin curb‑side; fresh QR‑tagged cart rolls in; sensor posts volume.
- Digital Docs — Polk manifest & ESG impact PDF auto‑email by EOD.
- Rebate Paid — ACH hits your MidFlorida CU account within 15 days—tiered up to $0.50/gal.
Bin Menu & Specs
| Capacity | Footprint (L × W) | Height | Empty Wt. | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 gal | 36″ × 24″ | 32″ | 60 lb | Food trucks at First Friday Market |
| 70 gal | 42″ × 28″ | 38″ | 75 lb | Central Ave cafés |
| 95 gal | 48″ × 29″ | 42″ | 96 lb | Lake Mirror patios |
| 140 gal | 52″ × 31″ | 45″ | 120 lb | Polk Parkway commissaries |
| 240 gal | 60″ × 34″ | 50″ | 160 lb | LEGOLAND® catering hubs |
| 300 gal | 72″ × 40″ | 52″ | 185 lb | High‑volume Florida Ave venues |
All bins include locking lids, anti‑tip frames & reflective tape for 4 a.m. pickups.
Rebate Calculator
Enter a few numbers, hit Calculate, and see your monthly payout & ROI:
- Gallons per pickup
- Pickups per month
- Rebate $/gal (defaults $0.43)
- Fee $/pickup (usually $0)
- Monthly fixed fees (sensor $15 default)
Transparent Pricing
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Bin rental | $0 |
| Unlimited pickups | $0 |
| Smart sensor (optional) | $15/mo |
| Rebate paid to you | $0.30–$0.50/gal |
Example Rebate Calculation
- Monthly volume: Lake Howard bistro yields 88 gal/month
- Quarterly volume: 88 × 3 = 264 gal
- Rebate tier: 0–299 gal → $0.30/gal
- Quarterly payout: 264 × 0.30 = $79.20
Case Study — Chain‑O‑Lakes Smokehouse
Open drums near the dock let rainwater cut purity to 90 %. We swapped in a 95‑gal gasketed cart; purity hit 99 % and the rate rose from $0.29 to $0.39/gal, covering a patio canopy before storm season.
2025 Environmental Impact — Winter Haven, FL
- 88,900 gal recycled — fills four community pools.
- ≈220 cars off US‑17 — ~730 t CO₂e kept from city air.
- 81 % cleaner exhaust — fresher air for lakefront joggers & market visitors.
- Chain‑O‑Lakes safeguarded — fewer grease slicks, healthier bass runs.
- EPA RFS2 credits — every gallon issues a RIN toward renewable‑fuel targets.
Local Environmental Partnerships:
- Keep Winter Haven Beautiful Member
- Polk State College Sustainability Sponsor
- Chain‑O‑Lakes Water Steward Alliance Supporter
Winter Haven FAQs
How do you dodge Cypress Gardens Blvd traffic? Pre‑dawn routes plus Lake Roy bypass keep pickups punctual—even on event weekends.
Do festival surge pickups cost extra? Never—extra runs stay FREE, and gallons still count toward rebates.
What if a hurricane watch hits? Bins move inland; service resumes 24–48 h after the all‑clear—no missed rebates.
Minimum volume to earn? None—rebates start at gallon one and climb automatically.
When are rebates paid? Gallons tallied quarterly; ACH lands within 15 days with a PDF purity report.
Sensor required? Optional $15/mo; alerts stop overflow fines; pickups stay free without it.
How We Compare
| Feature | Grease Connections | Typical Hauler | DIY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free unlimited pickups | ✔ | ✖ | Fuel + time |
| Festival & launch surge coverage | ✔ | Rare | ✖ |
| Traffic‑smart parkway routing | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Lake‑grade stainless carts | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| EPA‑ready ESG reports | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| No‑minimum‑volume rebates | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
Our Winter Haven Promises
- Always‑free pickup across every 33880–33884 ZIP.
- 48‑hour bin delivery or +2¢/gal first‑rebate bonus.
- 15‑minute punctuality credit—late? +2¢/gal bonus added this quarter
- No‑spill pledge—we degrease any mess at no cost.
- Price‑match guarantee—show a local quote, we beat it.
Ready to Turn Grease into Chain‑O‑Lakes Revenue?
- Call or Text 24/7: (305) 204‑5207 — say “WINTER HAVEN” to book your free walk‑through.
- Want details first? View our service menu—see every $0 perk.
- Need a bin ASAP? Confirm your address—we deliver in 12 hours, often before the afternoon thunder‑boomer.
Stop wrangling buckets—let Winter Haven’s local crew handle the oil, pay you for it, and keep the lakes glistening.