Running a restaurant is a dream for many people. If you have been lucky enough to successfully start a business in the foodservice industry, you undoubtedly know that a lot of work goes into keeping any dining establishment up-and-running on a daily basis. As the owner or manager of your restaurant, cost control is undoubtedly part of your duties. It can, however, be challenging to know how to best handle this aspect of the job. Below, you’ll discover some tips that can help you more effectively harness cost control measures in your restaurant. 

Vary your suppliers. 

If you only work with a single supplier for your kitchen’s ingredients, you are doing yourself a disservice. Not only can product availability issues and company restructuring adversely affect you if you’re only using the only supplier, but you might not even realize you are overpaying for certain goods. Varying your providers allows you to make sure you are paying the best possible prices for the most high-quality products. 

Hold staff training sessions. 

Sometimes, restaurant team members inadvertently cost their employers money by over-portioning and over-pouring. Train your entire kitchen staff to use weights and scales, ensuring that the proper amount of food is sent out each and every time. Additionally, your bar staff should be trained to correctly use a jigger to ensure that they are not giving too much alcohol to patrons. If you don’t offer free soft drinks, remind the entire staff that over-pouring non-alcoholic beverages like soda, tea, and lemonade also ultimately cost your business extra money.

Consider profit and customer experience. 

The best way to make sure your patrons are getting a delicious, fairly priced meal without spending too much from your point of view is to focus on both your profit margin and the customer experience simultaneously. This might mean that you have to tweak your menu in some way. 

Perhaps, for example, you need to add more affordable, universally popular dishes that have your chef’s own twist. Or, maybe you need to take a look at your best sellers and consider changing the pricing slightly if you’ve been losing money. Your situation will be unique, but it’s important to assess these profit and customer experience in conjunction with one another. 

Keep track of inventory digitally. 

In the modern world, there are dozens of apps and software programs that make it easy to keep track of your restaurant’s inventory. These can make a big difference in regard to overall cost control. Rather than relying on manual lists, you will be able to see what your establishment needs and, perhaps more importantly, what it doesn’t at a glance. Furthermore, some programs even track the market value of certain ingredients so you can rest assured that you’re always getting the best prices. Know what features matter most to you before you start researching options; this way, you can feel confident you’re picking the best software for your needs. 

Hopefully, these tips have given you a fresh perspective on cost control and you will be able to implement new tactics that will help you moving forward. Remember, your restaurant is your dream, and taking the reins in regard to this aspect of management is critical to your long-term success! Contact Avery Restaurant Consulting today and start fulfilling your dream tomorrow!