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Around 33 to 40 percent of food goes to waste each year. A large chunk of that comes down to complex problems in global food supply chain management that most restaurants have little control over. What restaurants can do, however, is re-think how their direct food supply is managed – from transport to inventory control.
The hospitality industry has always been about delivering great service—but today, that means more than just good food and friendly staff. For years, restaurant technology has been about speed and efficiency—faster orders, better scheduling, streamlined payments. Contactless ordering and AI powered recommendations.
Steady Online Ordering Brings FoodWaste, Donations to the Forefront of Priorities Orderingfood online increases restaurant sales, but it also can potentially increase wastedfood if proactive measures aren’t taken – for both the business and consumers at home.
Amid these potential disruptions, operators need a fresh approach to managing food costs. Extreme Weather: By 2035, experts predict that higher temperatures alone will push up worldwide food prices by between 0.9 Review inventory management strategies Inventory isn't just a stockpile of ingredients. percent annually.
By Bailey Ramsey, Contributor Foodwaste is a critical issue in the restaurant industry. To put this in perspective, restaurants waste anywhere between 4% to 10% of the food they purchase. Predicting Customer Demand Accurately One of the leading causes of foodwaste in restaurants is overproduction.
Minimizing Menu Price Increases : Just because diners are still eating out and ordering in, does not mean they are happy about higher menu prices. Optimize Supply Chains : Use AI inventory tools to reduce foodwaste and ensure your supply chain is as efficient as possible.
Effective, sustainable SOPs focus on minimizing waste and maximizing productivity. For example, implementing procedures to monitor inventory closely can prevent overstocking or food spoilage, while clear cleaning and maintenance schedules ensure the proper use and consumption of supplies.
These systems can understand various accents and dialects, process orders accurately, and even upsell menu items based on customer preferences. Inside restaurants, AI is powering self-ordering kiosks and chatbots, streamlining the ordering process and reducing human error. One of the most impactful areas is inventory management.
This trend of seeking out a more sustainable process of e-commerce related to food goods is not going away anytime soon. Here are some key strategies you and your target food delivery partners can be using to create a more sustainable future. Fuel and e-commerce order management systems help streamline delivery routes.
Instead, we’re leveraging better forecasting, stronger vendor relationships, and a culture of accountability that helps our teams feel empowered and in control of what happens in their kitchens We are managing costs by leveraging technology and staying hyper-focused on four key pillars: forecasting, ordering, prep, and scheduling.
Self-serve kiosks, QR-code menus, and personalized ordering systems will continue to redefine how patrons interact with venues. In 2025, expect to see more restaurants and bars adopting eco-friendly practices, such as reducing foodwaste, sourcing locally, and using energy-efficient equipment.
Thanks to these technologies, tasks such as orderingfood and paying bills can take place on a self-service basis. In quick-serve restaurants, staff can focus on preparing food rather than taking orders. This is important because signal loss interrupts digital services such as QR-based ordering and kiosks.
Over the last two decades, I’ve worked alongside operators in just about every hospitality setting—independent cafés, high-end dining rooms, food halls, and regional chains. We saw widespread adoption of mobile payments, digital ordering, and contactless dining almost overnight. Operators had to shift—fast.
This trend of seeking out a more sustainable process of e-commerce related to food goods is not going away anytime soon. Here are some key strategies you and your target food delivery partners can be using to create a more sustainable future. Fuel and e-commerce order management systems help streamline delivery routes.
Real-time inventory systems help restaurants cut foodwaste , save money, and improve operations. Here’s how: Track Stock in Real-Time : Monitor inventory levels instantly to avoid overstocking or understocking. Forecast Demand : Use sales data to predict future needs and order the right quantities.
While the cost of foodwaste isn’t a secret , you probably overlook it, considering it a part of doing business in this industry. It can help you fix discrepancies in ordering and inventory management , minimizing food shrink. The consumer price index for restaurant food costs increased by 7.7%
At the same time, a rise in fast-food prices driven by inflation is reshaping consumer behavior, with many customers now treating fast food as a splurge rather than a convenience. For example, AI can help QSRs make smarter inventory decisions by analyzing purchasing trends and aligning ingredient orders with demand.
Staff productivity plays the largest role in restaurant revenue, which is why it’s so important to invest in your recruiting and hiring strategies, finding like-minded individuals to move your restaurant forward while minimizing time waste. According to Forbes , 50% of employees waste parts of their day on their phones.
Independent restaurants have always been cornerstones of community, providing anything from comfort foods to places to unwind, but despite their vital role in society, adapting to the challenges continues to be a struggle. Faster service and a reduced strain on staff–a game changer for restaurants operating with lean teams.
Fast-casual concepts like Sammy’s Sliders, which offer high-quality, craveable food with speed and flexibility, are perfectly positioned for this shift. Customers expect seamless online ordering, loyalty programs, and delivery options, and franchise systems need to invest in tech to stay competitive.
Every day, youre juggling staff, food quality, inventory, customer service, purchasing, and moreall while trying to cultivate a dining experience that wows your customers enough to keep them coming back. Running a restaurant is a balancing act. Its tough, and cant be done passively. What is Restaurant Operations Management?
“Through expansive experiences that inspire our guests paired with the ambiance of the space and the food on the plate, we’re setting new standards for the industry and creating truly spectacular moments for all who enter our restaurants and bars.” That’s where the NEXT Flavor Report comes in.
A bar is a profitable business option if you’re looking to enter the food industry. Start by tracking all the income your bar generates, including sales from drinks, food, and any additional services. Once you have that total, subtract all of your costs, such as labor, inventory, rent, utilities, and other operating expenses.
Is online ordering inefficient? Do you lose money due to foodwaste? Experiencing over-ordering or last-minute shortages? Experiencing over-ordering or last-minute shortages? An inventory management system with automated restocking alerts keeps your stock levels in check. Are labor costs too high?
It can also optimize operations by forecasting busy times, adjusting staffing levels, and managing inventory, making everything run more smoothly and cutting down on waste. People are looking for authenticity and transparency, so highlighting where your ingredients come from or how food is made can go a long way.
A strong POS system can streamline operations, inventory and menu management, assist with staffing shortages and scheduling conflicts, as well as assist with sorting through data and sales patterns to help personalize marketing campaigns in a new location. Tracking inventory can prevent unnecessary and costly foodwaste.
Introduction to FoodWaste in Restaurants Foodwaste is a significant challenge for the restaurant industry, impacting both the environment and profitability. Understanding how to reduce foodwaste in restaurants is the first step toward sustainable and cost-effective operations.
Managing food costs is a growing challenge for restaurants as ingredient prices fluctuate and margins shrink. Real-Time Inventory Tracking offers a powerful solution by giving operators instant visibility into whats in stock, whats being used, and what needs to be reordered.
Introduction In the fast-paced world of restaurants, keeping a close eye on your inventory is as vital as the secret sauce in your signature dish. Proper inventory tracking helps reduce waste, control costs, and boost profits. What Is Restaurant Inventory Management? Key Components of Restaurant Inventory Management 1.
A Dilemma of “Super Size” Proportions Amid rising food prices and shifting consumer preferences, the restaurant industry is facing a dilemma of “super size” proportions. Red Robin climbs 3 percent to 78 thanks in large part to its focus on menu and food. Still, the food and service metrics are quite high.
If youre one of the thousands of restaurants that added online food delivery in recent years, you might be wondering: is it actually helping my business grow? These metrics give you a clear picture of your delivery performancefrom order volume and customer retention to delivery speed and profitability.
Running a restaurant is tough, and poor inventory management can make it even harder. Wastedfood, stock shortages, and manual tracking errors all lead to higher costs and lost profits. That’s where POS inventory tools step in to help. Alerts : Notifies you of low stock or expiring items to avoid waste and disruptions.
In this article, you will learn: The five most important restaurant costs to track and manage Easy strategies for controlling food costs and labor costs Tactics to save money without hurting your guest experience Lets start with the big picture and learn where your money is actually going.
A spike in food costs, a drop in sales volume, or one slow season can wipe out months of hard work. They tell you how much money your restaurant keeps after paying for everything from food costs to labor expenses to utilities and rent. Keep them too low, and youre losing your net profit margin every time someone orders.
Diners want the convenience of ordering, booking, and engaging with their favorite restaurants straight from their phones. Beyond mobile ordering, restaurant apps support operations in ways that were never available before. Online ordering and delivery apps. Inventory and supply chain apps.
Every online order, email sign up, and reward program interaction generates valuable insightsbut if that data just sits there, youre missing a major opportunity. Think about it: What if you could automatically send a special offer to a customer who hasnt ordered in a while? Or adjust your staffing schedule based on peak ordering times?
It’s like knowing how to make a schedule, do inventory, or cover a section of tables if a server calls out sick and you’re shorthanded. It’s the foundation of knowing your actual food cost. Accuracy matters, especially when food prices fluctuate. It’s just part of the job. Let’s say you bought a 5 lb box of ground beef for $30.
From inefficient workflows to outdated equipment, energy-wasting mistakes in restaurants are more commonand costlythan most realize. Modern POS systems arent just for order-taking; they can now help track, optimize, and reduce energy usage across daily operations. Track inventory to reduce foodwaste and energy-intensive storage.
It blends sales data, food cost, and menu psychology to help you stop guessing and start making decisions that grow your margins. Real menu engineering efforts are grounded in hard numbers: data, food cost percentage, and how much profit each dish actually brings in, so you know exactly what to promote, rework, or cut.
And no, increasing restaurant sales doesn’t mean turning your restaurant staff into pushy upsellers trying to squeeze a few extra dollars out of every order. Create Limited-Time Offers That Drive Action Limited-time offers (LTOs) give potential customers a reason to order now, not later.
Integrating mobile inventory systems with POS platforms simplifies restaurant operations by automating inventory updates, reducing errors, and providing real-time insights. Here’s what you need to know: Benefits : Real-time stock updates, improved accuracy, and smarter inventory planning.
When it comes to managing inventory, restaurants face a choice: POS inventory alerts vs. manual tracking. While manual tracking may seem like a simple solution, it often leads to errors, wasted time, and unnecessary costs. Managing restaurant inventory can be a major challenge, but the right system can make all the difference.
Consistent Equipment Across Locations : Using standardized equipment across all locations, such as commercial deep fryers , ensures consistency in food preparation and quality. Here are some quick fixes: Point-of-Sale (POS) Systems: Modern POS systems simplify ordering and payment. Accuracy: Reduces payroll and inventory errors.
With rapid advances happening across various industries, including the food industry, you might be wondering: What does AI have to do with running my restaurant? It allows AI to understand and respond to human language, which is how virtual assistants can answer customer questions or take online orders. The short answer?
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