!

29 top tips to give the fastest saving, and be the

quickest for staff and management to
implement - across staffing, kitchen, front-ofhouse, bar and running costs.
1. Check your product specifications so they arent too strict, resulting in
supplies being sent to you no matter what the cost eg first grade lemons
may mean using expensive imports at some times of the year. Or Brand B
canned tomatoes may be just as good as the Brand A that you have specified.
2. Specify the need for staff training by product suppliers when they
start supplying to you eg chicken supplier will show staff how to get extra
cuts from boning a whole chicken, how to bread fillets for schnitzels, make
supreme portions etc.
3. Watch that garnishes are served in edible sizes eg the large scoop of
sour cream on the nachos is often way beyond what will be eaten, same
for the cream on the side of the cake. Reduce. Understand that staff want
to be generous and will often fill to the top every dish or glass or bowl you
serve food in the answer may be in having smaller size dishes.
4. Choose green vegetables that require less trimming to create a final
product eg broccoli loses 50% or more is it really the vegetable you
should be serving?
5. Use portioned cake dividers to mark large cakes and gateaux into
correct portion sizes and have the pastry chef decorate cakes in a way
that shows the portion size and enforces correct portioning eg with 16
piped rosettes around the chocolate cake for 16 servings.
6. Have marker pens available and tied up near the store and coolroom so
items can be labeled easily and quickly.

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7. Have dedicated scales in the delivery area so spot a check of weights

can be made at any time.
8. Do a weekly food-rotation check when the age of all items is checked
timed for a quiet time and possibly managed by the second-in-charge
the manager or head-chef is usually too busy.
9. Make a rule that staff cannot buy product through your account from
suppliers if they wish to purchase it must be on a separate invoice and
paid for by them.
10. Use approved refillable condiment containers eg tomato sauce and
ketchup bottles. The real ones are cute but your own means you can buy
in bulk and refill.
11. Get advice from meat marketing groups on how to use cuts other
than the finest fillet because its so easy to cook, less skilled cooks will
only use the best with a corresponding affect on your profitability. They
need training in other cuts sirloin, rump, secondary cuts etc.
12. Establish the tradition of using trim from meat and vegetables in
stock and sauce preparation, but taking care not to make the stockpot a
garbage bin!
13. Watch what comes back on the plate a sure check if youre serving
too large a portion and keep in touch with the dishwasher to find out
whats being thrown out and not eaten this is the item that has to come
off the menu or the dish.

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14. Arrange for your suppliers to fax or email you weekly costs for
checking. Use one of your staff whos fussy with details to highlight
changes beyond a few cents the big changes are what interests you
rather than most of the prices where theres been little change.
15. Order forms should be on a clipboard where the deliveries are received so theres no problem checking prices as the goods arrive.
16. Put locks on freezers and fridges and store rooms that are located
away from the main store or kitchen the further away the more you
will lose in time and stock.
17. Remember staff are more likely to steal when they are disgruntled or
unhappy and others will collude with them at these times. How is the
emotional climate in your business?
18. Store small precious food items in a locked office, eg saffron, imported chocolate coverture, truffles etc treat them in the same you handle money.
19. Establish the rule that all new recipes go through a review process
before they are put into use written and costed then tested against marketing and concept. This will mean fewer failures or unpopular items and
more certainty. Order or make individual cup-cakes portions of popular
cakes rather than large cakes that will be cut into 12 or so slices at least
2 of the 12 are lost for one reason or anther and its much easier to count
and control individual small cakes.
20. Develop your forecasting techniques to adjust for expected numbers
keep previous year diaries to see what happened on certain nights. Adjust for very popular TV shows and sporting events if thats what your customers love. Your labour needs will start to be much more predictable.
21. Have menus and pictures ready as PDFs for emailing, and the pictures as low-resolution JPEGs (that wont take too long to download).
These are a speedy and cheap way to send function information to inquiries no need for expensive printed menu folders.
22. Swap tills and cash-drawers between shifts and separate the
counting function so those who just cashed off do not count their own till.
Make sure the checks are done within 24 hours so discrepancies are notified and action taken immediately.
23. Have a maintenance logbook/diary to record repairs and maintenance and diaries future maintenance needed.

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24. Install your own washing machine and dryer to do dish cloths and
other linen. It will have to handle some very filthy loads so it may pay to
purchase a commercial machine and use commercial grade washing liquid.
25. Join a trade association that will offer you a better deal on credit
card fees the savings are often considerable.
26. Teach cooks and receiving staff the proper way to store produce,
meat and fish.
27. Invest in quick cool freezer sticks, reducing cooling time for hot soups,
stocks and sauces.
28. Train your FOH staff in the art of the upsell. Increased sales with the
same costs leads to a lower cost percentage!
29. Make sure more then one staff member on duty at all times knows
the POS system inside out, from being able to program in new specials,
make sure prices are up to date as well as properly be able to void or correct mistakes.

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