Andrea Abbondanza‘Waste not, want not’—that’s the mantra of many restaurant owners. It’s hard to optimize profits and ensure customer satisfaction when you don’t know what you have in stock.
Inventory tracking helps restaurants by providing real-time updates on the status of their inventory, enabling them to make smarter decisions and increase profits.
By tracking inventory, restaurants can access detailed analytics about what they have, allowing them to save time and money while improving customer experiences.
This guide will help you master the art of inventory tracking, making your business more profitable with the right upselling technique and providing patrons with an elevated dining experience.
What Is Inventory Tracking?
The practice of inventory tracking is all about carefully keeping an eye on and handling what’s in a restaurant, such as materials, ingredients, and products.
It means that the restaurant stays aware of how much they have, how much is being used, and when more needs to be bought to avoid running out or having leftovers. This is all done effectively with the best inventory tracking system.
Restaurant Inventory Management Best Practices
With the right inventory management system, a restaurant can be sure they have all the supplies needed for their customers. The following are the best practices for restaurant inventory management:
Organize Inventory
Being organized is important for making sure your inventory works well. In restaurants, this means putting things in the right places, labeling them clearly, and making it easy to find what you need.
Keep stock levels as low as possible
Maintaining excessively high inventory levels ties up capital and increases the risk of food spoilage. By adopting a just-in-time approach, restaurants can optimize inventory levels, reducing costs while ensuring freshness.
Monitor the sell-through rate
It’s essential to know how fast things are selling. Keeping an eye on how much inventory is getting used up helps restaurants determine which dishes and items people like the most and which ones they need to restock more often.
Track all inventory
Tracking everything in detail means keeping records of not just the dishes you make but also all the ingredients and supplies you use.
This kind of careful tracking helps restaurants find ways to save money and keep an excellent record of everything they have, like an inventory turnover.
Safeguard against mistakes
Mistakes by people can happen, and sometimes, the records of what you have in stock might not match what you have. To fix this, you can use double-checking methods, like regular checks, to make sure you catch and correct these mistakes quickly when you manage inventory.
Restaurant Inventory Management Software
To streamline inventory tracking, many restaurants turn to specialized software solutions. Here are some top options for your inventory tracking methods:
Orca
Orca provides a comprehensive inventory tracking system that is specifically designed to meet the needs of restaurants. It offers real-time monitoring, ordering automation, and analytics capabilities to help optimize inventory management.
Yellow Dog
Yellow Dog aims to make the inventory process simpler by providing user-friendly tools. It has mobile access, scanning technology, and predictive ordering capabilities, making it an excellent help for hectic kitchens.
Additionally, it tracks customer demand to ensure that all orders are fulfilled efficiently.
Upserve
Upserve combines an inventory tracking method with point-of-sale systems, offering real-time data insights. This integration helps restaurants make informed decisions to decrease waste and enhance profitability.
Touchbistro
TouchBistro‘s inventory management systems work well with its cash register system. They give you reports that you can change to fit your needs and help restaurants change things based on customer reviews.
Shopventory
Shopventory is known for its robust reporting and forecasting capabilities. It enables restaurants to track inventory across multiple locations and provides insights to optimize purchasing decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do restaurants use to keep track of inventory?
Restaurants commonly use inventory management software to keep track of their inventory. This software automates the tracking process, reducing the risk of errors and providing real-time insights into stock levels.
What is the inventory method for restaurants?
The way restaurants usually keep track of their stuff is by putting things in groups, keeping an eye on what they use, and filling up their supplies when they run low. Nowadays, many restaurants use special software with forecasting tools to make this easier.
Who is responsible for inventory in a restaurant?
Keeping track of everything a restaurant needs is a team effort. People in the kitchen might watch over the ingredients while those up front take care of things like napkins and forks. Managers usually make sure the whole supply chain management runs smoothly.
Conclusion
Inventory plays an important role in the success of any restaurant. It is critical to ensure that all items are tracked and replenished when needed, making it a cooperative effort between kitchen staff, front-of-house staff, and management.
Utilizing inventory management software can further streamline the process, providing real-time insights into stock levels and reducing errors.
