Food waste management is a crucial focus for restaurants. It not only helps establishments operate efficiently and save money, but it also builds the reputation of the business and reduces its environmental footprint. Bob Patterson, founder and president Patterson & Company Certified Public Accountants, shares four ways restaurants can manage food waste.
Track and Survey Waste
Tracking and paying close attention to the products and menu items that are not being used and thrown out is a great way to track habitual waste. Regularly assessing these specific items in the kitchen and dining areas allows restaurants to see what exactly and how much is being wasted.
Once specific food items are identified, restaurant owners can adjust their preparation processes accordingly and in a more cost-efficient manner. This also helps improve ingredient usage, portion sizes and menu style going forward.
Stay Aware of Inventory
Managing inventory well can help restaurant owners identify whether certain ingredients are being used in excess or not. This helps to avoid overstocking or understocking, as well as overall menu planning. Restauranteurs should also be sure to lock up costly items such as meat and liquor. The more aware they are of their inventory and its whereabouts, the less likely they are to replenish these items.
Staying on top of inventory is especially important to ensure restaurants comply with food safety laws. Accurate tracking helps monitor expirations dates of ingredients, reducing any safety concerns and improving the freshness of the dishes.
Pare down the Menu
A smaller menu allows restaurants to focus on quality over quantity, which minimizes the number of ingredients and chances of leftovers. Paring down the menu also contributes to portion control and consistency, while preventing excess food from being wasted.
A menu that is simplified and smaller helps streamline prep of the commonly ordered dishes, turning into a fast turnaround to avoid food spoiling. Prioritizing fewer dishes allows restaurants to use their resources more efficiently and reduce the amount of waste from less ordered dishes.
Educate Staff
It is important to educate staff and provide them with the tools and knowledge to ensure the restaurant’s goals of food waste reduction are met. Restaurant owners and managers can start by regularly enforcing the value and setting a clear example of their sustainability commitment.
Training staff in components like portion control, food storage techniques, expiration dates and tracking food waste helps to integrate these practices into the daily operations of the restaurant. When the whole staff is educated and motivated to reduce food waste, it improves customer satisfaction and the overall reputation of the restaurant.
Bob Patterson is the founder and president of Patterson & Company Certified Public Accountants. Founded in 2011, Patterson & Company CPA provides clients with specialized, industry-tested tools and expert knowledge. With expertise in the hospitality industry as well as other service-based businesses, the firm offers year-round accounting and advisory services, supporting all back-office tasks through their BOSS advanced online platform that manages payroll, bookkeeping and vendor payments alongside the tax planning and compliance services of a full-service CPA firm. Prior to founding Patterson & Company, Patters was president, CEO and a partner in Consumers Choice Coffee. He is a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Fraud Examiner and a Chartered Global Management Accountant.