Inventory Variance: The Silent Profit Killer
Operators don’t need more buzzwords—they need fewer surprises, clearer numbers, and smoother shifts.
What’s really going on
- Variance is the gap between theoretical usage and what’s actually on hand.
- It comes from portion drift, miscounts, spoilage, and process gaps.
- Small variance in proteins becomes big money fast.
Common mistakes
- Counting only monthly.
- Not standardizing units and recipes.
- Ignoring variance until it’s ‘really bad’.
What a better approach looks like
- Weekly counts on top categories.
- Recipe-level costing + portion tools.
- Variance alerts by ingredient and location.
- Simple manager action checklist.
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.