Case Study: Cutting Waste and Food Cost With Better Visibility

Operators don’t need more buzzwords—they need fewer surprises, clearer numbers, and smoother shifts.

What’s really going on

  • Waste shows up as inflated food cost, longer prep times, and inconsistent portions.
  • Most teams waste more during rush and prep transitions than they realize.
  • Without logging, waste is invisible and uncoachable.

Common mistakes

  • Treating waste as inevitable instead of measurable.
  • Logging waste once a week (too late).
  • Not tying waste to items and stations.

What a better approach looks like

  1. Add a 60-second waste log at close and after rush.
  2. Review top 5 waste items weekly.
  3. Set a ‘waste owner’ per shift.
  4. Use variance reports to verify progress.

Bottom line

The goal isn’t more software—it’s clearer visibility and fewer surprises.

Soft CTA: If you’re evaluating systems, prioritize visibility across POS + inventory + labor + reporting. The faster you can spot issues, the easier they are to fix.