10 Ways to Lower Your Restaurant Operating Expenses
Running a restaurant can be as adventurous and fulfilling as it is stressful, especially when the dollar signs keep cropping up as expenses and not as earnings. But saving costs in running your restaurant should not be too difficult or too technical.
We’ve listed some very basic, very easy steps to help you cut your restaurant operating expenses.
1. Go green. Going green will not only help you cut back on the costs of things that you’re buying, but it will also help you lower the cost of your garbage removal. And as a plus, you’ll be contributing to environmental preservation! Reduce the use of single-use plastics and paper products and invest in heavy-duty cutlery and glassware that will last you a long time.
2. Switch off. Always turn off lights and lamps when they are not in use to lower your restaurant operating expenses. Also, avoid leaving appliances plugged in when not in use because even low-consumption in standby mode can stack up costs in the long run. Use this handy guide to learn which of your restaurant’s electronics are eating up energy, even while on standby mode.
3. Cut down portions. Portion control is one of the most important factors in cost control efforts. Cutting down reasonably on the portions of your services not only stretches your food inventory but also allows you to cut down on the bigger national problem of food wastage.
4. Trim down your menu. Some items on your menu are less sought after than others. Pick out which items you are least frequently selling and decide whether to remove them completely from your menu or to simply offer them as specials.
5. Switch to energy-efficient appliances. Your old air conditioning units, freezers, and chillers may not be up to par with efficiency standards! When it comes to energy efficiency, a little definitely goes a long way, especially for items that stay on around the clock. Consult your energy provider or your appliance store for energy-efficient replacements for your large equipment.
6. Wash dishes efficiently. Cut down on the costs of your hot water and dishwasher use. Soaking in warm water helps loosen up grease, grime, and food leftovers on plates so it may help to soak your dishes before soaping and scrubbing them as opposed to just putting them under your jet washers. It may also help to wash on a full load instead of wash as the demand arises to maximize the energy efficiency of your dishwasher.
7. Market online. Marketing your restaurant does not always have to be expensive and wasteful. Swap your tarpaulin posters, paper posters, and print ads for a more optimized online advertisement through social media.
8. Go easy on the freebies. A lot of freebies go to waste. Reserve them for special restaurant occasions (e.g. anniversaries, special holidays) or cut the quantity by half. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll lower your restaurant operating expenses when you stop giving free muffins with your regular meals or when you cut back on the free peanuts to half the usual amount.
9. Involve everybody. For cost-cutting efforts to be effective, the approach has to be holistic and come from every corner of the business. Get your whole team involved in the efforts through an information drive and let them understand the benefits of such measures.
10. Go paperless wherever applicable. Send email invoices for payables including pay slips. Do not print anything unless completely necessary. And ditch the paper towels for dish rags, kitchen towels, and linen napkins! Not only are they more efficient in cleaning up messes; they are also more cost efficient. Not to mention, using linen napkins in restaurants is always the classier choice.
Should you decide to completely forego the paper napkins for their classier, more cost-efficient linen alternatives, there’s only one name to trust for your restaurant’s linen service needs: SITEX! We have a range of high-quality, highly-durable table linens available in different colors to match your restaurant’s aesthetics.
What are you waiting for? Cut back on your restaurant operating expenses and get your linen services covered by SITEX today – call 270-631-2231 to get started!
