Restaurant managers use mathematics to manage reservation schedules and to ensure that enough food is stocked to meet peak demand.

Night after night people are able to go to restaurants and, no matter what the time, order various meals. There is actually a science (and it should also be considered an art) to keeping an appropriate amount of food so that the restaurant does not run out and the food does not spoil. Restaurant managers are responsible for this task, and although it is not complicated to explain, it definitely takes skill to master.

Most restaurants have a par sheet to keep track of the amount of food in storage. Par—in food as in golf—means average or suggested amount. Every restaurant has stores of food, and when the quantity for a particular item falls below par, it needs to be reordered.

Knowing yield on products and how long food can be kept allows managers to order food in the correct quantities. This minimizes spoilage, as does a common method known as FIFO (first in, first out). FIFO is a basic rule in which storage shelves are stocked with the newest food being placed in the back. In this way, food is used in the order in which it arrives at the restaurant.

There is really no specified education necessary to become a restaurant manager; however, knowledge of the food business is certainly beneficial. Culinary education, job experience, and business management classes are some of the best ways to prepare for success in the field of managing restaurants.

See Also

Cooking, Measurements Of.

Bibliography

Career Information Center, 8th ed. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002.