Ordering food for your restaurant is always important. However, when it comes to Thanksgiving Dinner, it is vital that it is done correctly. If you are open on Thanksgiving Day and you run out of food then you will have disgruntled customers. How do you ensure that this does not happen? You have to make sure that you are fully stocked well in advance. There are a few key steps to doing this so that there is no chance of running out of food. Follow them and you will have a successful Thanksgiving Day dinner.

Estimate Guests

Obviously before you can buy food you will need to know how much to buy. The first step to this is to estimate how many people you believe you will serve. Unlike the normal day’s meal, your Thanksgiving guests will likely linger. This leads to less turnover in the restaurant. However, you will likely be busy during the entire time you are open. It may be difficult to estimate how many people you will have, but a clear estimation will be the best way to determine how much food you need to buy for your dinner.

Buffet or Full-Service?

How much to buy will vary depending on what you are serving. Is there a limited menu or an all-you-can-eat buffet? The latter will cost you more as you will need to provide more food. It will also bring more turnovers of guests leading to more business and more people eating. However, that does not mean that you will not need plenty of food for a full-service restaurant. Deciding which you are serving and exactly what foods you will offer will help you determine what your needs will be. This can make it much easier to order your food and supplies in advance.

Order Early

You will get better deals and be better prepared if you order well in advance. You have to keep in mind that many restaurants are serving Thanksgiving dinner and they will all be ordering food and supplies. If you wait then it may be harder to get the items and quantities that you need. Instead you can order your items in advance and know that you are well prepared. Another benefit to doing it this way is that you have plenty of time to find out if you have forgotten anything. You will be able to order what you need and still have it arrive in plenty of time for your dinner.

Err on the Side of Too Much…

You can always cook and serve the excess food but you cannot fix it if you run out. In other words, it is far better to over order than to skimp and not have enough. When you are placing your order always round up when looking at what you need. This will ensure that you have plenty to take care of your needs and your customers do not suffer. A fully stocked kitchen is the best way to start any Thanksgiving Day dinner.

Found this article helpful? Read more relevant articles and how-to's in the food service industry.