Effective Fridge Management For Your Restaurant

Feb 5

Effective Fridge Management For Your Restaurant

In Australian restaurants, approximately 40% of the food is wasted. This can be for several reasons, including food that has been sent back by the customer, and throwing away food that has past its best. Cutting down food wastage is not just an ethical issue, it is also financial. Every food item that is thrown away reduces the profits that a restaurant makes. Bearing in mind that around 30% of a restaurant’s expenses are spent on food, this can be a big dent in your profits. Effective fridge management is one of the simplest ways that you can cut down on food waste.

Train all kitchen staff on food safety

In any commercial kitchen, all food storage areas need to be spotlessly clean. If they are not, there could be bacteria getting into the food and ultimately making customers unwell. When there are over 5 million cases of food poisoning every year in Australia, all staff need to be vigilant. If food is found in the kitchen that isn’t fit to be served, then it needs to be thrown away, leading to wastage.

We have a large range of food storage solutions in all shapes and sizes

If you run a restaurant or a hospitality management company, then it is your responsibility to make sure that their staff are aware of the following points for best practice.

Dairy, meat, fish and vegetables all need to be stored separately in the fridge. Some items also need to be kept at different temperatures.
All hygiene and safety procedures that must be adhered to. This is imperative.
Keep all storage areas clean and free from bacteria. There should be a regular cleaning routine that everyone follows.
Commercial fridges need to be kept at 40° F or below. The temperature should be checked daily.

Stock rotation system

When your food stock is delivered, it should be placed behind older stock in the fridge. This will ensure that all products are used, and older food isn’t hidden. You should keep a list of what is kept in the fridge that includes the delivery and the use by dates. You can do this manually, or use a Kitchen Display System (KDS) to keep track. Make sure that you don’t overload your fridges, as that can lead to an increase in temperature, or your fridge not being as efficient as it should be.

If you are looking for a KDS and/or Point of Sale system, we can tailor a package to suit your business.

Food labelling

Food labelling is essential to cutting down waste in your kitchen. Make sure that all stock is labelled with details of what it is (if not clear from the packaging), when it was purchased and when it needs using by. This can also help your chefs to develop their menus, knowing exactly what seasonal and fresh food they have to work with.

For a restaurant manager, ensuring that the fridges are kept clean and well-ordered is extremely important. The fridges contain the most important stock that your restaurant has. If the produce is substandard, then this can really affect your business. Make sure that you have a fridge management system in place, whether it is manual, online, or using a KDS, and your kitchen will be more organised.