Before school’s out, do your homework! What can you apply to your food & beverage operations this season that you learned from last season?
Did you analyse your numbers, costs of goods, usage reports, theoretical, labour analysis, menu mixes and menu engineering? How have you changed operations at your restaurant, snack shack or concession operations to make a difference?
You must make sure that you always analyse your data. Food & beverage operation is about the numbers and the science. For example, examine your recipes. Each recipe has a specific amount of each ingredient. Analyse the amounts of spices, size of chicken or the ratio of syrup to water in a soda. Do the sums! Make sure your numbers are accurate for both taste and profit. You must always crunch the numbers to assure success.
You also need to assess your schedule to assure effective operation. Reviewe data and each day of the revenue versus labour. This is the time to set the pattern and projections for the 2009 season. An easy step is to review your daily sales and create a targeted 25% labour ratio of sales each day.
Stagger starting times for staff schedules. Go lighter with staff on the smaller sales days. Take the hours from a lighter day that can operate in the teens and carry the hours onto a heavier day of sales to assure service and success.
Are you going to try anything new this year? A wise man once said, “If you always do what you always did, you always get what you always got.” Plan new menu items and the strategic implementation of those items.
Bold and highlight your newest or best items and consider taking off the lowest selling items. You may also want to try moving a sales cart by the gate to capture more guests. Make small changes in order to make big differences.
Now that your homework is complete, enjoy your summer!
