Re-thinking Foodservice Processes to Save Labor

Getting the job done with a short staff is nothing new in the world of foodservice, but sometimes it feels like there just has to be a better way. Analyzing processes is a tried and true way to reduce costs and do more with fewer people. It requires taking the time, however, to stop, observe, and assess a process with fresh eyes. That’s no simple feat when you and your team are running full throttle and already feeling overwhelmed.

How do you get yourself or key team members to take a step back to evaluate if your standard operating procedures are using more labor, space, or expertise than you can afford? Think of it like freeing a vehicle that’s stuck in the mud. If you’ve ever been in this situation, you know the first impulse is to gas it. Sometimes that works, but keeping the pedal to the metal can also make you spin your wheels deeper and get even more frustrated.

Operations can’t slow down, but one person taking a pause to assess a procedural bottleneck is often all it takes to get back on the road and make better time. In the case of your kitchen, the solution to getting unstuck may be as simple as adding one piece of equipment.

These five questions can help jumpstart the assessment process. Each is followed by an example scenario and a potential solution or two.

1. How many employees are needed to complete this process?

Example scenario: An elementary school kitchen needs three employees to manually scrub pans for an hour every day after lunch. 

Potential solution:  A powered sink system such as the Bi-Line Vortex Wash System does the same job without the manual labor. Employees drop soiled pots and pans into the agitating wash basin and move on to other kitchen tasks while the sink does the scrubbing. 

2. What tools and equipment are being used, and what condition are they in?

Example scenario: A kitchen employee has complained about their cutting hand being tired, so they need additional help or to take more breaks while prepping. 

Potential solutions: The employee may need to be provided with additional knife skills training to reduce fatigue. However, dull blades may be the culprit. They slow down prep, damage food, and cause fatigue. The Edlund 401 Electric Knife Sharpener has a precision guidance system that maintains a like-new knife edge for more efficient and comfortable prep. 

If knives are in such poor condition or quality that they’re beyond help, Mercer Culinary offers a variety of commercial grade cutlery collections such as the Millennia Colors chef's knives shown here.

3. How much space is needed for the equipment?

Example scenario: A gastropub that specializes in gourmet burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches has experienced a sustained surge of business thanks to a viral social media post. Customers are now complaining about slow service. The kitchen can’t keep up because they don’t have enough room under the hood for an additional or larger grill. 

Potential solution: The dual-sided Garland Xpress Grill cooks both sides at once with upper and lower grill plates for faster, more consistent results that double production in the same amount of space.

4. Is any specialized training required to use the tools or equipment?

Example scenario:  A popular artisanal pizzeria is losing their experienced pizza baker because he’s returning home to Italy. This has happened before, and it’s getting increasingly difficult to find qualified pizza bakers, and it costs a lot more to employ them.

Potential solution: An oven like OneRev Rotating Pizza Oven by Wood Stone has a rotating cooking platform that automatically turns pizzas for even cooking without human intervention. Outside of loading and unloading pizzas, employees are free to attend to other tasks. On average, this saves operators about $30,000 per year per location. 

5. What’s the total time needed to complete the process?

Example scenario:  An employee boils water for tea or for reconstituting foods such as mashed potatoes, waiting several minutes each time for the water to boil.

Potential solution: A product such as the Hatco Atmospheric Hot Water Dispenser can instantly dispense up to 8 gallons of hot water.

What else can you do to make this re-thinking process less daunting?

• Start small. Little wins can be motivating to help you work up to evaluating larger, more complex processes.
• Factor in customer feedback. What are your customers telling you? What does their feedback (or reviews) point toward needing improvement or adjustment?
• Offer incentives for employees to get in the game. Most employees have ideas that they believe would make their job—or someone else’s–easier. Consider offering a gas or gift card for each money- or time-saving idea that gets implemented. This is also a good way to help employees embrace change.

Now, more than ever, foodservice equipment is being designed specifically to save labor and other resources without compromising safety, service, or quality. If any of the above questions bring opportunities for improvement to light for your foodservice operation, odds are good we can connect you with a viable solution. 

Contact us!