How often should I count stock?

Main products at least once a week; expensive or fast-spoiling products more often.

First In, First Out: the first product in is the first used. It reduces food spoilage.

Can a digital menu help with stock?

Yes, if the system has stock control: quantities follow sales and sold-out items disappear from the menu automatically.

How to manage restaurant inventory

Stock is money sitting on a shelf. When there is too much it spoils; when there is too little, a dish runs out in the middle of service. A few simple rules keep it balanced.

Count regularly

A weekly count of the main products shows where food is lost. Compare the quantity bought with what should be left according to sales; the difference is waste, spoilage or use outside the menu.

Set a minimum level

For every key product set the minimum quantity below which you reorder. That way you do not run out of important items and you do not buy in a panic at a higher price.

FIFO: first in, first out

Put new products behind old ones and mark the dates. Most spoilage comes from products forgotten at the back of the fridge.

Build the menu around what you have

If a product is in surplus, make it the dish of the day or an offer. If it runs out, take it off the menu at once; in a digital menu a sold-out item hides itself and the guest cannot order it.

A dish of the day from products that must sell quickly
Items that hide when stock reaches zero
An alert when a product is under its minimum level

Order from sales, not from feeling

The last few weeks of sales tell you how much to order. Check busy days and special events, and plan less for quiet days. Real data reduces waste more than experience without notes.

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Frequently asked questions

How often should I count stock?: Main products at least once a week; expensive or fast-spoiling products more often.
What is FIFO?: First In, First Out: the first product in is the first used. It reduces food spoilage.
Can a digital menu help with stock?: Yes, if the system has stock control: quantities follow sales and sold-out items disappear from the menu automatically.