Food Cost Control

Best Practices
Involve key staff members in food cost control measures.
Teach your staff about food cost management and involve them in the
food cost control process.
Take inventory weekly, or monthly at minimum, and keep a close eye on
fluctuations.
Implement daily or shiftly counts of high cost items, beginning with
most expensive items first.
If you are not using Waste Tracking Sheets, begin ASAP.
Implement and monitor Waste Buckets (all food waste is placed in a
special bucket and verified daily).
Make sure someone on your staff is checking in every delivery. NEVER
let a delivery person in your food storage areas alone.
Check building security. All backdoors should be locked at all times.
Employees should only enter and exit through front doors.
Adopt a “write it (or “ring it up”) before you serve it” rule to ensure
all items are paid for.
Don’t overbuy to keep spoilage to a minimum. Notice par levels when
counting inventory to assist in this area.
Follow good sanitation practices.
Pre-portion food to control over-portioning.
Post performance information weekly and let staff know how the team is
progressing.