TigerChef

Waste is a huge issue in the restaurant industry. In fact, waste is a major contributing factor in the financial demise of any food establishment. By not controlling how much food is used, it's nearly impossible to determine a true daily budget. Few restaurants order just the right amount of food for daily operations.

You can save on the environment and garner higher profits by implementing portion control in your establishment. Many chain restaurants do this not only to control costs, but to maintain consistency from location to location - a Quizno's sub should taste the same, and contain the same amount of meat and fixings, at any one of it's franchises.

It's often the independent establishments that waste more food than they sell, and it can be attributed to one or more of the following:

• Lack of portion control
• Lack of respect for the establishment (i.e. employees wasting food)
• Poorly designed kitchen (scattered layout means scattered preparation)
• Faulty or outdated equipment
• Lack of necessary tools (like bowl scrapers, etc.)
• Faulty "holding" stations (refrigerators, heat stations)
• Illogical preparation for rush service times (pre-making too much food)

This is the short list, but the end result is the same... Wasted food, more trash, more resources used to carry off the trash, more money down the drain. And while some of these points may seem mundane to even mention, each problem is evident in thousands of establishments.

So how do you get back on the right path?

Portion control is a necessity in ANY establishment. It's the main contributor to food costs and is directly related to financial success or failure. Using portion ladles, spoons and cups, as well as scales, is key to provide consistent flavor and remain within budget.

As for employee waste, it's been a problem in many restaurants, and the best advice we can offer is to always have management present, and not just tucked back in the office during an entire shift.

Every kitchen needs a logical layout and the proper stands and tables. The more you have to move around, dodging equipment and navigating cramped quarters, the more apt you are to get frustrated (or even trip), thus making mistakes - whether it's using the wrong ingredients in dish preparation, or dropping prepared meals on the floor.

It is imperative to have any malfunctioning equipment serviced, and this includes refrigerated and heated equipment. Faulty equipment commonly uses more energy, increases the risk of food contamination, and results in more waste.

It may sound funny, but many food preparers and cooks don't scrape bowls clean when prepping for business. Every bit counts! Whether it's a hand-held spatula, or an add-on scraper for mixing equipment, packaging ALL food prepared is the way to go.

Another factor, of course, is the lack of planning for rush services. Many times fast-turnover restaurants will pre-make many dishes, including desserts, with expectations to sell it all. It is important to revisit your plans each week to make sure the bulk of what's being pre-made is being consumed by customers, rather than the landfill.

Filed under: General • Going Green • Cost Savings

Tags: waste