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Increasing the efficiency of grab-and-go foodservice programs, while maintaining freshness and quality, is the cornerstone of your long-term success. One of the biggest enemies to that success is waste and spoilage. You can quite literally be throwing profits into the trash, easily turning a profit center into a money loser.
[image-nocss] The solution is cost control, and that starts with proper planning and diligent monitoring. Most operators keep a clipboard with a list of products and how many of each is produced and sold each day. That's a good start, but tracking just a few more details will provide you much better information:
- Break down inventory into types of sandwiches, salads, baked goods, etc.;
- List when each type was made or delivered; Note the shelf life;
- Track how many were sold and how many were thrown out;
- Note information about the day, season, weather, etc., that may be an additional key to future purchasing decisions.
Utilize that information to make your purchasing and management decisions. On days when you know sales will be slower, order items with a longer freshness schedule. Items that lose their quality more rapidly should be ordered only on busy days when the likelihood that they'll be sold is much greater.
Further, train your staff to recognize a good food display from a bad one. Is it neat and attractive? Does it look plentiful and fresh? Is each item labeled with the date and time produced, so you can remove it from the shelf when appropriate? Most importantly, does it draw the customer in and entice him or her to buy? These may seem like elementary steps, but you'd be surprised at how easy it is to fall out of the habit of following them.
During slower days or day-parts when you order fewer items, you may want to decrease the display space. Similarly, if you place a dozen sandwiches in a basket or on a tray and you sell six, the basket will begin to look empty. Swap it out for a smaller vessel so the remaining sandwiches fill the new display. In a display case, bring the remaining product to the front and fill in behind with fresh produce or bags of chips to give the sense of a full display, add appeal and open the door to additional purchases.
Most importantly, make sure your staff is trained in the proper handling of food products. Handling a bag of chips is very different from a quality premade salad or sandwich. Your staff needs to understand that, and they must be well-versed on sanitation codes, safe-temperature zones, etc.
Retail operations are moving beyond mere convenience and into the realm of innovative, quality products. The potential upside is tremendous, but it does require a shift in mindset. Like all foodservice operations, a little attention to detail can make or break the bank.
Philip Mott is assistant professor at Les Roches School of Hospitality Management at Kendall College in Chicago. He has been involved in the restaurant and hospitality industry for the last 25 years.
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