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Restaurant Portion Control
A Standard Portion Size represents the amount (weight, count, size or value) of each food item which is sold to the guest for a stated price and should be established for all items, including appetizers, main courses, vegetables, salads, desserts, beverages, etc. Restaurant owners need to standardize and monitor the portion sizes leaving their kitchens to ensure customers receive the portions they’ve come to expect. Thus, portions should not be too small or too large. Every item on your menu should have a controlled portion size to maintain food costs while keeping customers satisfied.
Why Portion Control Is Important
Imagine a customer’s reaction if they ordered the cranberry chicken entrée and they were served a 4-ounce chicken breast, half cup of potato, and a quarter cup of vegetable. People rarely complain about getting too much food but they’ll certainly notice if you give them less, especially if the menu prices remain the same.
It’s also important to keep portion sizes in check so you can maintain correct food cost and your overall restaurant profits. Not only will this help to manage your budget but also balance your inventory to avoid a possible food shortage or surplus, which can negatively affect profits.
How to Control Restaurant Portions
Start by training your staff to use the correct serving utensils and dishes consistently. A chart breaking down every menu item is also helpful for new staff. You can list exactly how much food goes with each item. For example, five mozzarella sticks for an appetizer, one slice of cheese for a burger, and three cherry tomatoes for side salads. Photographs also help staff correctly portion food as it leaves the restaurant kitchen.
It is used as a tool for controlling staff activity regarding production & sales and determining the standard cost per portion.
Some examples of standard portion control tools are – scoop, spoon, ladle, peg measure, soup bowl, pony tumbler, etc.