For this special episode, I’m sharing some of the best tips from previous episodes, focusing on key areas such as food cost systems, leadership, and labor cost. Today’s episode is dedicated to food cost. We’ll explore how high food costs are often self-inflicted, provide a quick walkthrough on calculating food cost, delve into the concept of ideal food cost, and finish with some menu engineering basics. Whether you're a new listener or a long-time follower, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

What if I told you that while rising food prices do impact your bottom line, the majority of high food costs are self-inflicted?

Most restaurants operate 7 to 9 points above their ideal food cost. By utilizing accurate recipe costing cards and analyzing product mix from your POS system, you can determine your ideal food cost. This figure isn’t a national average but specific to your restaurant’s operations and menu.

Running a restaurant comes with its challenges, but by combining leadership, systems, training, and accountability, you can achieve the financial freedom you deserve.

Implementing the right food cost controls and menu engineering strategies are crucial steps towards a more prosperous restaurant.

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Ready to learn more? Get a free 30-minute training video where David outlines exactly what you need to do. 

Sponsor

This episode is being brought to you by MarginEdge. Managing costs is one of the most important parts of running a profitable restaurant—especially now. But between fluctuating vendor prices, waste, labor, and the never-ending list of daily tasks demanding your attention, it can be challenging for even the most experienced operators to keep up. That’s where MarginEdge comes in.

MarginEdge is a complete restaurant management software that automatically pulls data from your POS and invoices to give you real-time insights into your food and labor costs. No more waiting until it’s too late. With MarginEdge, you get the tools to make decisions in the moment: a daily P&L, price alerts for key ingredients, real-time plate costs. And best of all? No spreadsheets required. Take control of your costs, work more efficiently, and boost your profitability. Visit www.marginedge.com/DSP to learn more and schedule your demo today.

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