i know this sounds like a stupid question but how do cook to order restaurants work? how often do they have to throw away food? and do they keep the leftovers for the next day(/s?)
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I have worked in restaurants for ten years, successful and not. Throwing away food is a regular thing. This is limited my good management and knowing what events are happening in the community so as to increase or reduce food prepared before shifts. Prepared foods have a shelf life just like in grocery stores. Some are end of day, some are 1 day and range to several days out depending on how easy they spoil. Managers knowing that religious holidays coming up that limit intake of meats or sweets may not order as many of those in the food shipment beforehand.
They also take this information and use it for staffing as well. If they feel like it will be slow because there’s a food festival happening down the street. Or increase staff for holidays like Mother’s Day when moms don’t really want to cook.
But too be completely honest, it is a guessing game. Kind of like the Price is Right. Managers guess the most amount of food or staff they can have for a shift without going over. Guess too low and you don’t have enough for customer demand. Guess too high and you have to throw away food and send staff home after an hour.
Tons of experience. Knowing when you need to reduce ordering, when to increase. Yes, things need to be thrown away, but smart ordering keeps that down. And just like your own grocery shopping, stocking up on non perishables when there’s a good deal. Frozen foods are a restaurant’s best friend. But, that can be sacrificing quality, so they need to find a balance.
Make friends with other restaurants so when you run out of something, they got you.
Leftovers? Hell yeah. Do you know what potato skins are? Yesterday’s baked potatoes.
Food costs are pretty minimal compared to labor costs though. That’s why restaurants have staffing that juuuuust covers the needs, so when one person calls in, they’re short.
There’s a million things going on. Juggling them is an art. Not everyone can do it. Did you know that white tablecloths and napkins are cheaper to have laundered?
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