Countering Inflation
  • Countering Inflation
  • Food Cost
  • Waste
  • Inventory
  • Disposables
  • Supply Chain
  • Labor
  • Energy
  • Menu
  • Beyond the Kitchen

Food Costs

Food Cost

Evaluate Your Menu 

  • Review your menu mix to streamline your offerings
    • Identify items to replace, and which to feature.
    • Reducing menu size could improve kitchen performance, help with inventory management, and reduce waste.

For example, healthcare sites could consider using well-accepted patient menu items in the retail setting on certain days to streamline food production.​
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  • Identify high- cost, low- profit menu items
    • Replace high-cost items with popular lower cost items
    • Remove items where cost has risen so much that pricing the item for a reasonable food cost would be considered as a negative in customers’ eyes (last year, blue crab prices rose so much that an 8- ounce crab cake sandwich was being priced at $45 on the menus of casual restaurants in Baltimore).
    • Look for lower-cost alternatives to the high-cost items ie. Lamb Weston’s costs may have increased, where McCain or Exclusive Branded items present a better alternative - same item better cost
    • Review your Top 25 menu items regularly
    • Featuring lower cost menu items or specials can help to reduce overall food cost
    • Using Specials can reduce waste and push guests to lower cost/higher profitability items and can lead to discovering items that can be placed on future “permanent” menus
    • Evaluate your side dishes – consider lower cost alternatives for garnish and sides – do not assume Fries will be the customers’ choice. Offer small salads (Panzanella, mixed color slaw) cup-of-soup, etc.
    • Upsize some sides (baking potato) for plate coverage to allow for a smaller protein portion
    • Consider oven, grill, or broiler prepared items to replace certain fryer prepared products to save on high-cost frying shortening
    • Consider pre-cut in-season vegetables to help with reduced labor.
    • Review your prices – the cost must be passed on to the customer, be creative in how that is achieved – people pay more to be in a Starbucks because of the brand and the atmosphere – consider your end user and think about how you can add more value for little cost if the prices are going up – make it an experience
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  • Countering Inflation
  • Food Cost
  • Waste
  • Inventory
  • Disposables
  • Supply Chain
  • Labor
  • Energy
  • Menu
  • Beyond the Kitchen