Inventory management is one of the most critical aspects of a restaurant. You need meticulous processes and the help of technology to keep controle de estoque efficient, in order to avoid waste and losses.
If you want to know how to do a restaurant inventory, check out our complete guide below!
Inventory Control for Restaurants
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What is restaurant inventory?
First of all, you need to understand what a restaurant's inventory is. That is because many people think it is just a list of the supplies used to prepare meals. But it is much more than that.
Restaurant inventory is the process of recording and tracking every product, ingredient and supply. That includes, for example:
- Perishable and non-perishable foods
- Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
- Kitchen utensils
- Dishes, cutlery and glasses
- Cleaning products
- Hygiene items
So inventory covers everything needed to keep the operation running smoothly.
Leia também: 9 main mistakes in restaurant inventory management
Why is it important to take inventory?
Taking a restaurant's inventory is a meticulous and fairly laborious task, which is why managers often end up neglecting this process — for lack of time, staff or organization.
However, it is crucial to the restaurant's success, since it is tied to several aspects that directly impact the performance of the business. Among them:
Cost control
When you know exactly what your operation needs and keep accurate inventory control, you can avoid waste and unnecessary purchases. On top of that, you gain predictability and can negotiate better prices with suppliers.
Leia também: What are minimum and maximum inventory levels?
Efficient planning
With an always up-to-date list of available supplies, it is much easier to plan the menu and create promotions. This practice lets you make better use of ingredients and keep them from sitting idle in inventory.
And the same goes for tracking other utensils and supplies, from glasses to cleaning materials. When you keep inventory control, you have more visibility and know exactly when you need to restock, avoiding surprises and emergency purchases.
Accurate profit margins
Inventory is also an essential tool for understanding whether your profit margins are where they should be. You can also easily identify which items sell the most and are the most profitable.
That way, beyond better understanding your restaurant's profitability, you can devise strategies to increase it: whether by raising sales prices or by creating promotions around the most popular and profitable items.
Learn more: Menu engineering: a complete guide to selling more
Safety and compliance
Lastly, inventory also plays an essential role in complying with health regulations and Food safety. Fazer o registro correto das datas de validade e origem dos produtos ajuda a garantir a qualidade do seu restaurante.
Step-by-Step Guide to Taking a Restaurant's Inventory
Now that you know what it is and why taking your restaurant's inventory matters, check out our complete step-by-step guide!
1 – Preparation
Before starting the inventory process, it is important to settle a few things and prepare properly. That involves:
- Defining the person responsible for the inventory
- Training the team to carry out the tasks correctly
- Choosing the tools, such as a spreadsheet or an inventory control system
2 – Categorize and Organize
Next, you need to identify every item in your inventory and categorize it according to a classification. You can use the categories we mentioned earlier as a base, or be even more detailed.
Another important point is organizing these items in your physical space. Set aside a fixed spot for each category to make finding and counting easier. Use labels for identification.
3 – Do the first count
After categorizing and organizing, it is time to do the first count of the items. This is a simple process, but one that demands plenty of attention so the records do not come out wrong.
Just count how many items are in inventory in each category and write it down. These figures will serve as a reference for future counts.
The count can be done manually or with a barcode and tracking system. The advantage of relying on technology in this process is fewer human errors, such as illegible handwriting, typos or even forgotten items.
4 – Recording the data
Another fundamental aspect that deserves full care is recording inventory information. Create a standard process and determine which information must be included for each item, such as:
- Item name
- Code
- Category
- Quantidade
- Expiration date
- Purchase date
- Supplier
- Receiving date
To make sure the records are done properly, train your team and make clear how important this information is to good inventory management.
Learn more: 11 tips to control inventory inflows and outflows
5 – Set a date
Inventory should be taken frequently to keep records always up to date. Choose the best date to run the inventory count and update the records: it could be every Monday or on the first day of the month, for example.
The ideal frequency depends on the type of restaurant, so assess what works best in your case. If you have high turnover, it is better to do it at shorter intervals so you do not risk losing information.
6 – Identify problems and opportunities
Beyond doing the counts and keeping information up to date, it is also important to analyze the data to spot possible problems and opportunities. Look at points such as:
- Waste and Losses – expired, damaged, stolen products
- Items that sell the most
- Items that sell the least
- Items with the highest profit margin
- Items with the lowest profit margin
By looking closely at this data, you will be able to devise strategies to optimize your menu, reduce losses and increase your profitability.
7 – Define strategic actions
Finally, define which strategic actions you will take based on what you identified in the inventory.
It can be something more routine, like purchasing items and restocking inventory, or improvement actions such as switching suppliers, adjusting prices, changing the menu and running promotions.
This way, inventory becomes a strategic process for the success of your business.
Leia também: Restaurant COGS: what it is and how to calculate it
Count on EPOC for more efficiency in your inventory
If you want maximum efficiency when taking your restaurant's inventory, count on EPOC!
Our solution integrates every area of your business — point of sale, production, inventory, administrative back office — and automates records and controls, while making data analysis easier with simple, visual charts.
In EPOC you can register supplies, automatically record inflows and outflows, track inventory in real time, set up alerts and much more.
Want to see how it works in practice? Then schedule a demonstration now and talk to our consultants.
