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Restaurant Operations

Eco-Friendly Cooking Practices - How Hotels and Restaurants Can Save Water Energy and Money

This article explores various eco-friendly cooking techniques that hotels and restaurants can implement to reduce their environmental impact and operational costs. Key methods discussed include sous vide, batch cooking, pressure cooking, and steam cooking, which help conserve energy and water. Additionally, strategies such as minimizing food waste through effective preparation and adopting low-temperature cooking methods are highlighted. These sustainable practices not only contribute to environmental conservation but also improve kitchen efficiency and reduce expenses, making them invaluable for the hospitality industry.
2024-08-28 23:13:00
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Top Commercial Ice Cream Machines

Top commercial ice cream machines are specialized equipment designed to produce large quantities of ice cream efficiently and consistently. These machines are equipped with high-capacity freezing cylinders, powerful compressors, and user-friendly controls to ensure optimal texture and flavor. They often feature advanced refrigeration systems to maintain consistent temperatures, ensuring that the ice cream mixture freezes evenly without forming ice crystals. Many models include features such as multiple flavor options, mix-in capabilities, and self-cleaning functions, making them ideal for high-demand environments like ice cream parlors, restaurants, and cafes. With durable construction and high output rates, these machines are essential for businesses aiming to serve premium quality ice cream quickly and reliably.

2024-07-10 18:18:00
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Seamless Service - How Innovative Food Stations Add to Your Ambiance

Seamless service refers to a smooth and uninterrupted dining experience where guests receive prompt and efficient attention without disruptions. Innovative food stations significantly enhance this service by offering a dynamic and interactive dining experience. These stations, which can be customized to fit various themes, allow guests to see their food being prepared, adding an element of entertainment and engagement. They can range from live cooking demonstrations to self-service stations with a variety of options. This setup not only elevates the ambiance by creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere but also ensures that guests have immediate access to fresh and diverse food selections, improving overall satisfaction and dining efficiency.

2024-06-21 17:15:00
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What is a Winco Black Guest Check Presenter?

A Winco Black Guest Check Presenter is a restaurant accessory designed to hold and present guest checks or bills to diners. Typically made of durable materials like leatherette or vinyl, it provides a professional and organized way for servers to deliver the final bill to customers, enhancing their dining experience.

2024-02-05 18:44:00
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What is Restaurant Furniture?

Restaurant furniture refers to the various pieces of furniture used in a restaurant. It includes tables, chairs, bar stools, booths, and benches. The type of furniture selected depends on the size and type of restaurant, as well as the style of the decor. Restaurant furniture is typically made from wood, metal, or synthetic material.

2023-04-25 19:28:00
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How to Start a Restaurant

open

There are many restaurants today. If you are the average American who has never owned a restaurant before, then it can be quite daunting to know where to begin. So we decided to do all the research and compile it into one easy-to-read article. Let’s begin!

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Here are the things you need to know! What is the statistics? According to a recent study done by Alleywatch.com results show that 60% of businesses fail in their first year. Of course, none of us want to be part of that statistic. We do not want to discourage you from opening up that dream restaurant; however, this is to serve as an eye-opener to see the practicality of the advice we are giving you. The biggest thing that contributes to failure is lack of planning. In other words, when you lack solid planning you can plan to fail solidly. As you will see in this article, planning is the most important part, even before worrying about the money. Planning involves preparing for possible roadblocks, minute details and preparing yourself to take responsibility.

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Have the right motives. Now we all like money. Money is both a necessity and a luxury. In addition, we as humans love time. Do you often hear yourself saying “I wish I had more time?” We know we do! Some may reason that opening up their own business will offer them more money and time. Is this true? The answer, not necessarily! The truth is money and time doesn’t come automatically. In fact, owning your own restaurant would require even more work. So if money, time, or some other force is motivating you to start a restaurant maybe you should reconsider. Ask yourself, will I love what I will be doing? Am I willing to put forth the necessary effort and time to see my restaurant succeed? Will I be motivated to wake up in the morning and put in a hard day of work? If the answer to any of these is no then you should reconsider.

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Your target market. Who are you looking to appeal to? There are different generations, different preferences and different views. Remember in the restaurant business one size does not fit all. You have to choose your target market before you even think about your restaurant name much less your restaurant itself. Is it a family style or is it more for adults, children, or teens? You may think about what a teenager would like, and how it is different from a child, or how a child would differ from an adult. Things you can consider is who would you see being at your restaurant? Who would they recommend to come?


Begin your business plan. This is where the brainstorming begins. This is where all your ideas can come together in an array of excellence. What are somethings you should think about? What is the atmosphere you are planning to create? What is the theme? What are the hook’s that drive customers in? How does your restaurant differ from other similar restaurants? Why will customers like my restaurant? Where is the restaurant’s location, and how will that adds to the experience of the restaurant? Here are some of the fundamental parts of a business plan you’ll need to think about. These are followed by:
• Executive Summary
• Company Description
• Products and Services
• Market analysis
• Strategy and Implementation
• Organization and Management Team
• Financial plan and projections
You are well on your way to starting your new restaurant business and restaurant supply is here to help! We have the right supplies for anyone even you! Let us know what you need!

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2018-05-25 00:00:00
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Ace Your Next Inspection

Restaurant inspection time can be very stressful for employees and restaurant owners alike. Taking the time in advance to ensure an inspection goes well can be difficult, but we highly recommend it. Not only will it reduce your anxiety when inspection day comes, but it will ensure that in the future, you never fail an inspection again.


Basic Food Sanitation


While everyone is aware of this, sometimes things can slide to the back burner when the restaurant gets busy, or when employees aren’t checking loose ends. Get back to basics and check out the list below to make sure that your food sanitation measures are up to par.


  • Store food for the proper amount of time and at proper temperatures

  • Correct cleaning and sanitizing of all utensils, equipment, and food contact surfaces

  • Proper employee personal hygiene and frequent washing of hands and arms, including covering any flesh wounds

  • Suitable basic cleaning and maintenance

While most restaurants have an organized daily checklist for these procedures, going back to the drawing board and making sure that you have all areas covered is definitely worth it.


Employee Personal Hygiene


In the weeks or months leading up to the inspection, it’s worth it to sit down with your employees and revisit the employee handbook for proper hygiene procedures at work.

The majority of foodborne illnesses are caused by bacteria or other microorganisms that are passed by those who work with food. All processes in food service can potentially impact food safety, such as purchasing, storing, preparing, serving, and cleaning.


Is Your Sanitizer Up to the Task?

Likely, you’ve been using the same trusted brand for years. Make sure that the sanitizer you’re using is listed with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Read the label to make sure the product is effective against the bacteria you want to destroy. It is also important the sanitizer is appropriate for the food equipment you plan to sanitize. Make sure all of your employees are trained in the use of the sanitizer. It is even worth it to re-train employees that have been with your restaurant leading up to the inspection on proper sanitization techniques.



In conclusion, don’t let the inspection be a source of stress! Go back to the drawing board, revisit the manual, and make sure that you and your employees are educated on and using the latest sanitation techniques and you will have nothing to worry about.


2018-04-05 21:13:32
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How to Keep Employees and Reduce Turnover

If you've been in the business for a while, you know that turnover can be an issue for your restaurant. Restaurant turnover rates can be higher than 60% a year, and can cost over $5,000 in expenses for the restaurant per employee. Not only is it expensive, but it can reduce the morale of the rest of your employees, which can lead to even more issues. Clearly, this problem is worth discussing. Today we dive into the root of this problem and how to ameliorate it.

    



Hire People You Believe In


Take your time with the hiring process. As tempting as it can be to get someone on the schedule when you’re in a fix, it’s worth it to take time to hire the right people to do the job. Beyond skills and resume, consider character when you’re interviewing someone. You shouldn’t hire someone based off of character alone, but it’s an incredibly important factor in creating a long-lasting, trustworthy staff. Make sure you check references and employment history. Have they held any jobs longer than 3 months? A year? These are definitely things worth considering when hiring new staff members .


Take Time to Train New Staff


   As mentioned above, the urge to get new staff members out on the floor when you’re in a pinch can be overwhelming. However, taking a couple weeks to make sure someone is ready is more than worth it. Make sure that you assign new employees a mentor, and that they have adequate time to shadow them. If your employees feel that they’re working a dead-end job with little room for advancement, chances are they’ll leave sooner rather than later. If your employees feel that you’re invested in their success, it’s more likely that they will stay.



Encourage Feedback


Your employees should feel like they should be tell you anything, to a certain point. While the boundary between boss and friend can be difficult for some to find, it’s key in keeping good relationships with your staff. Respect obviously goes a long way, but so does empathy and understanding. Listen to your staff’s problems with open ears, and you’ll notice they feel more valued. It can be as simple as working with an employee through a scheduling conflict, or listening to a personal problem. Whatever that looks like for you and your staff, we encourage you to find it.



Make Them Feel Appreciated

Beyond everything we’ve mentioned so far, making a staff member feel appreciated may be the most important. Staff members that feel under payed or undervalued are more likely to leave than those who feel invested in the business and appreciated for their time and efforts. High employee turnover is widespread in our industry but it doesn’t have to be the case for you. As long as you hire the right people, provide proper training, encourage communication, and show your appreciation, your staff will be much more likely to stick with you through thick and thin.



2018-04-05 00:00:00
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How To Calculate Liquor Cost in Your Bar or Restaurant

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  • “Why aren’t we making any money?” 
  • “I know people are stealing, I just can’t find out where or how.” 
  • “I have no idea if my happy hour is making me any money!” 

These questions, along with roughly eight out of every ten questions asked by owners in our industry, can all be answered through understanding and analyzing your bar's liquor cost. Also known as COGS, your Cost of Goods (the cost of the goods you purchase and use to create revenue), is the nucleus of every successful restaurant.

So, how do exactly can you calculate your bar's liquor cost?

Calculating Liquor Costs

There are very specific nuances related to the management of food and beverage costs; today we’re going to focus our attention on liquor costs.

Managing your profitability with regard to beer, liquor, wine, as well as any non-alcoholic beverages, represents the single greatest differentiator between success in the food-service industry, and being a part of the 26% who don’t make it through the first year.

If you’ve managed a bar or restaurant for longer than a minute, you’ve undoubtedly asked or been asked, “what’s your PC?” or, “what’s your Beverage Cost?” or perhaps, “what is your COGS?” 

Knowing the answer, and how to calculate your liquor cost, can be the difference between life and death in the restaurant industry. Let's take a look at the liquor cost formula, how to use it to manage your spend, and find cost savings opportunitiesfor your business.

Do The Math

Managing your liqour costs begins with knowing the formula for calculating COGS: OI+P-EI/S

Broken down as:

OIOpening Inventory, or what you had on the shelf at the beginning of the week, 
plus
PPurchases, or what product you’ve purchased within that week
minus
EIEnding Inventory, or what you had at the end of the week
divided by
S) Sales, or by what you sold, 

 equals PC or COGS, your product usage.  

Let’s put a face on this formula.  Here’s an example for calculating your liquor cost.

   OI   +    P    -   EI    /     S =     PC or COGS

Liquor: $1906 + $6398 - $2425 / $23,000 = $5879 (25.56%)

  1. Our OI (Opening Inventory) of $1906 represents the total stock value of our previous weeks’ inventory. 
  2. Our P (Purchases) of $6398 represents all of the liquor that we purchased during the week. 
  3. Our EI (Ending Inventory) of $2425 represents the total stock value of the current weeks’ inventory.
  4. Our Sales (Liquor Sales) of $23,000 represents the revenue the business brought in from selling beverages assigned to a liquor sales category. 
  5. The PC or COGS (liquor Product Cost or Cost of Goods) of $5879 or 25.56% represents the answer to the question, What’s your liquor cost? or What’s your Liquor PC?

Now that you have an understanding of how to calculate your liquor costs, let’s press on and address the reasons why it’s important to know your liquor cost, and some of our best practices for managing liquor costs successfully.

The Why

Having a keen understanding of your liquor cost enables you to protect your franchise players (liquor items) and ensure your restaurant is profitable

Using the example above, we know that for every dollar in sales roughly 25 cents is used to pay for the liquor. This leaves you with 75 cents of gross margin.  

Think about that for a moment: It takes a lot less to earn the 75 cents on each liquor item sold, than it does to earn 65-70 cents for each food menu item sold. This means, the labor needed to make and deliver each drink is significantly less than each menu item.  

Pro Tip: This is why it’s dumb to focus on discounting booze for Happy Hour, as opposed to creating a value driven Happy Hour food menu. Liquor sales contribute to an organization’s net profit far more than food sales contribute.

The How 

While business priorities in the restaurant industry are hotly debated, two that are high on everyone’s list are theft prevention behind the bar and proper purchasing strategy.

Behind-The-Bar Theft Prevention

Your customers want alcohol, and your employees not only control said alcohol, but work for tips. There are a variety of ways for bar staff to cheat the system, and use their powers for evil, not good. The following best practices should always be implemented behind the bar.

    • Weekly Bar Inventory – Performing weekly bar inventory enables you to readily see the variance in your INV levels, as well as the relationship between your purchasing dollars against the sales revenue.

    • Consistency in Counting – Always having two people count and record the same way every week provides you the accuracy you need to readily spot anomalies in your bottle usage and stock value.

    • Repair & Maintenance Issues – By counting weekly it also keeps you aware of the surrounding facilities and equipment to be proactive on preventative maintenance concerns.

    • Breakage Book & Comp Tabs – The breakage book, also known as a Bottle Book is a tool that allows you to readily check your usage against your sales to clearly see if a team member has a pension to giving away a specific type of alcohol as well as controlling waste or spill.  For an added benefit it is always recommended to provide your bartenders with a Comp Tab.  Comp Tabs enables your bartenders to build your business and while you maintain control of how much product is being given away or promoted to do so.  

Proper Purchasing Strategy

Using your COGS to influence your purchasing strategy is a great way of turning data insights into tangible cost savings. 

By tracking your restaurant’s sales and spend on a weekly basis in a weekly purchase journal, you’ll be able to zero in low on slow selling items and make spending cuts accordingly. 

Using a declining budget based off of forecasted sales each week will allow you to keep Inventory levels lower, more easily track variances in your inventory, and cash in the bank. As an added bonus, having an inventory system will ensure that your stock value (total sum of inventory value) is accurate against your purchases for that week.

This article is compliments of Toast.

As always, check out Restaurantsupply.com for all your restaurant needs.

2018-01-10 00:00:00
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8 Things to Avoid When Managing a Restaurant in 2018

restaurant trends in 2018

The New Year always brings about a sense that things can be better. It’s like you get a mulligan for the last year; a fresh start filled with hope, promise, and ambition.

This article is compliments of Toast.

As always, check out Restaurantsupply.com for all your restaurant needs.

2018-01-04 00:00:00
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