How to Cut Restaurant Costs
Food waste is a major problem for most restaurants. Researchers discovered that many restaurants waste so much food that it hurts their bottom line, so reducing that waste can significantly improve profits.
There are a lot of techniques that can save money by cutting waste this year.
Track Purchases and Waste
The vast majority of waste is accidental. Very few restaurant workers realize the sheer amount of food they throw away. Awareness is the first step towards solving that problem.
So, take regular inventories of all of the food that your restaurant purchases and throws away. Consider purchasing less of any ingredient that consistently ends up in the trash, or spreading purchases out over time to help fight spoilage.
Organize Ingredients by Age
Organization can also go a long way. Put all new ingredients in one part of the fridge of warehouse after purchasing them, and slowly move them to the other end over time.
For example, new ingredients might go on the left of the shelf, and older ones move to the right to make space for new arrivals. Always take ingredients from the side that has older items when cooking. This reduces the risk of accidentally allowing ingredients to spoil by allowing them to sit in storage.
Put Waste to Use
Some scraps and excess ingredients are inevitable, but it is possible to cut waste by finding alternative uses for them. Try to offer special, temporary menu items that can use up the excess.
Fried rice is a classic way to use up random bits from the kitchen, while smoothies can be a powerful tool for dealing with a big box of fruit. Spoiled food can still be put to good use in a compost heap for gardeners.
Creativity and diligence go a long way towards cutting waste!
Always Strive to Improve
Staying efficient is a process, and you can always do more to lower the amount of waste. Cutting down on food waste is a great start, but it really is only one piece of the puzzle.
Get in touch with us today so we can help you make your restaurant as efficient as possible.
