Cutting Your Restaurant Food Cost with Portion Control
Cutting Your Restaurant Costs
Portion control is critical when cutting restaurant costs. Besides operating without a staff entirely (not wise), it might be the #1 way to save your restaurant money. Getting your menu portions under control is beneficial not only to your bottom line, but to your customers as well—let us explain!
First and foremost, why is portion control so important? The biggest reason is that reigning it in can help keep your food costs down—and your profits up. A recent study by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that 30 to 40% of all food produced in the U.S. is wasted, which equates to about $165 billion every year. That’s a lot of lost revenue for small business owners. If you’re regularly over-portioning an item, even by just small amount, the money you lose can add up significantly—and quickly.
Portion control also allows you to keep menu items consistent from shift to shift, ultimately resulting in happy guests. This means no matter who is cooking, your salmon filet entrée should always have the same volume of protein and sides. If this wavers, you can bet on your customers realizing it (and being a bit grumpy if the 6-ounce filet your menu advertised is actually a 4-ounce serving). Train your staff properly on how to measure out portions. Make a chart to reiterate how many chicken fingers go on a plate, how many slices of cheese a burger gets, or which ladle to use for a bowl of soup. Another tip is to invest in a kitchen scale, which is useful for weighing out deli meats and cheese.
Are you taking regular inventory of your food? This is a great way to get an idea of the rate your food is being used or wasted. How else would you know that you end up tossing 12 heads of cabbage every week, or that your bread is going stale before you can serve it? Reducing the quantity of your food orders can take a big chunk out of food waste, and those extra savings will go right into your pocket.
In today’s atmosphere of excessiveness, diners are far more conscious of their portion sizes than in years past. In fact, the rise in obesity can be directly linked to increases in portion sizes. It’s really a no-brainer to consider just how much food you’re offering guests per serving. Cutting waste and waists is a win-win! Make sure you’re serving meals on platters that accommodate the size of the food, which will make guests believe they’re getting just the right portion. Just as you wouldn’t wear a suit that’s double your size, don’t serve food on a plate that’s twice as big as the meal.
Thinking about portion control as a necessity is the first step toward keeping food costs down. If you’re considering purchasing new portion-control equipment or retraining your staff, it might be the perfect time for a restaurant loan from ARF Financial. With a simple funding process, ARF offers flexible loan terms up to 36 months, affordable rates, and no need for collateral. APPLY NOW for a quote! It’s free and won’t affect your credit score!