Blog

There are tons of ways to lose money in the restaurant business, so Staying on top of food, labor, flatware, and other costs is essential if you want to stay in business and remain profitable. While managing food and labor costs is relatively simple, tracking silverware loss can be challenging and frustrating.

Many restaurants have to replace silverware every six months or less, which can hurt your bottom line, but with diligence, you can keep the loss of silverware to a minimum. Here are a few productivity tips for restaurant owners using silverware.

Clean Tables as Quickly as Possible

Having your servers remove plates, cups, and silverware as soon as your guests are finished dining will help prevent these items from being accidentally discarded or stolen, and it makes it much faster to turn your tables for better and faster service for waiting guests.

Separate Silverware From Other Dishes

Separating silverware from other dishes before, during, and after the washing process is essential. One way to maintain organization in the kitchen is by using stainless steel commercial dish tables in your dish room.

Companies like Ultimate Restaurant Equipment, for example, will help your kitchen, prep, and dish areas be organized with suitable stainless steel dish tables that fit the needs of your restaurant and dish area. Employees can separate silverware from other dishes with the proper dish tables to prevent them from being lost or damaged in garbage disposals and trash cans.

Watch for Theft

Theft is a big concern for any restaurant owner. Not only do you have to take measures to ensure food products don't fall victim to theft, but dishes and silverware also fall victim to theft from employees and your guests as well, especially if you have high-end flatware and dishware. An excellent way to prevent theft is to install cameras in your kitchen, bar, and dumpster areas to prevent thefts of food, dishes, flatware, and other items.

Invest in Magnetic Trash Chutes and Lids

When your restaurant is busy, flatware can end up in the trash. Investing in magnetic garbage can lids and chutes can significantly reduce the loss of expensive flatware by catching it on the top and sides before it falls to the bottom of trash cans, eliminating the need for costly replacements. Magnetic trash lids and chutes will also catch other small metal wares, which will help reduce waste and lower costs.

Taking a proactive approach when running and managing your restaurant business is essential. Investing in the right equipment and putting good business practices in place for your employees will save money and keep your restaurant profitable.

Coffee shops with a high volume of customers need every square foot of space that is available, especially if you are a local or independent store. The space is especially valuable when you have frequent customer turnover, which is often the case when people order beverages and snacks rather than meals. If you need to open up your coffee shop and free more usable space, the following tips may help.

Stacked Storage

Look for out-of-the-way areas where wall shelving could be installed. Then, fill the shelves with colorful or thematic bins with supplies and products. The bins can also be decorated with signage or other items to make them more interesting and flow with the rest of the room. Also, check floor storage to see if there is space to place smaller containers on top of bigger ones. If you can’t find ahorizontal area to work with, go vertical.

Counter Storage

Use your available counter space for attractive packages and containers that will not only find a place in the shop to be stored but also attract the interest of customers as they step up to the counter for service. While you don’t want to wall-in the sales associates working behind the counter, there may be enough workspace to add some exciting displays that will accent rather than compete with the existing décor. You can also set up cap displays at the end of the counter where items can be readily viewed by customers.

Compact Equipment

Bigger is not always better. Look for smaller versions of your necessary equipment that will use less space in your coffee shop. For example, a touch screen POS system is generally lighter than a full-scale cash register or till. If feasible, consider smaller units for your dishwasher, microwave oven, refrigerator, toaster oven, and coffeemakers to make the shop look less crowded. Choose a style and color of equipment that blends with the decorating scheme. The only reason to have more space for some of these items is to use them to store more food or wash more dishes, but as you will need to be constantly washing and swapping out dishes and food, having more compact but quicker products will be sure to help.

Adjustable Seating

Avoid furnishings that are connected to the wall or floor. Store any unneeded seating like chairs or benches as well as tables in a back room to open up the café for customer comfort. Configure the seating area to meet customer need on a given day or time. Smaller tables and seating options will also provide more open space, along with a narrow counter. Consider adding options for outdoor seating, if possible.

Keeping your coffee shop accessible and convenient for guests is important as it encourages them to come back with a guest or two. Try these space-saving methods to avoid a cramped feeling in your shop and to keep customers happy and relaxed.