Forecasting!

Planning is crucial in any industry, for the restaurant business it’s everything. One thing that is important, once you have been established for a short time, is forecasting. Forecasting is when you look at your past sales; covers, menu mix etc., and predict what you are going to need in the future. Once you have taken a look at your past you will be able to make your schedules, order the proper amount of food needed etc. Basically you will be able to control your food, labor, beverage cost, to the best of your knowledge by forecasting from week to week. In the restaurants that I have worked in before they did not do it week to week because nothing really changed in that time, but they would look at the big holidays like Valentine’s Day and mother’s day. They would look at their sales from last year, what items sold the most and base their menu, staffing, and ordering on those facts. All in all it is very effective when done right.
In the forecasting aspect of things, you are making a rational decision, logically weighing all facts and alternatives. In the restaurant business I personally think that a lot of our decision making is intuitive. We make a lot of gut decisions, because it’s the fastest. What comes to your mind first is usually your gut instinct and that’s the decision you’re going to go with just because it’s the fastest and your time is very vital when working.