A Guide to Lean Inventory Management for Restaurants

A 2015 Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) report estimated that between 22 and 33 billion pounds of food are wasted by restaurants every year. And about 7 percent of food in restaurants is wasted before it even reaches the customer.

But the waste doesn't stop there. Think about the overhead spent to store stocktake and the money spent on vendors and staff to deliver and prepare it. All of that effort, only to see it end up in the trash somewhere along the supply chain because of spoilage, misfires, spills, or even theft.

To reduce waste and increase BOH efficiency, many restaurant owners have turned to lean inventory management, as well as lean practices in their kitchens to manage inventory cost. The five principles of lean management and a lean approach to inventory management practices can help them save money and provide a better dining experience for their customers.