The most important strategies for restaurant inventory management

Restaurant inventory includes all the raw materials and ingredients needed to prepare the dishes on the menu, and managing this inventory has become one of the most important operations within restaurants. Restaurant inventory management software helps keep track of available inventory and make better use of existing inventory management systems in a restaurant’s POS system that can organize all aspects of inventory management. It allows you to control and maintain a smooth flow of supply and increase your overall profits. In this article, we review how restaurants can improve their inventory management and the most important proven strategies.

Here are restaurant inventory management tips to control costs and improve operation:

Always keep track of your current inventory before purchasing new inventory. You can use a restaurant inventory management system that automatically calculates inventory quantities at the beginning and end of the day, and tells you what is left in your warehouse.

The difference between actual consumption and minimum required inventory is called variance. Since some ingredients are consumed during food preparation, a variation between 2-5% is acceptable, anything greater than this number is a concern, because it indicates internal theft. Abnormal variation ratio indicates that raw materials are not consumed appropriately, which ultimately leads to quality deterioration. Hence, variation and inventory management are essential factors in kitchen management.

Managing restaurant inventory on an ongoing basis is essential to avoid waste. Restaurant management software can help restaurant managers ensure the best use of inventory. Consider these points to ensure your inventory is used efficiently:

Adopt a minimalist storage approach for perishable items, and dispose of the oldest first to avoid wasting perishable items.

Consider purchasing seasonal produce. Using the Smart List method, you can create a season-specific list. This way, you will be able to attract customers with a fresh menu and avoid waste.

Invest in purchasing a powerful inventory management program that enables you to set a minimum for stored materials, which, once this minimum is reached, sends an automatic email message to the purchasing department reminding them to purchase shortages. This will also prevent any embarrassing situation that may occur when one of the dishes runs out of ingredients during working hours. Notifications are also useful in identifying items that need to be purchased frequently.

Ensure that stored raw materials are used on a first-in, first-out basis. Use old stock first to prevent waste.

Standardization and recipe management is essential because it helps determine food costs and reduce waste. In a standard recipe, the amount of each raw material used in preparing the dish is specified.

Record your recipes in the point of sale program, including the size of the necessary servings of each ingredient, this will help you estimate the raw materials you need and calculate the cost of each dish. Recipe management also reduces theft in the kitchen. As for large restaurant chains, they ensure that the taste and consistency of dishes are maintained in all branches.