How to Optimize Your Restaurant Inventory in Nepal

In the restaurant business, your inventory is your cash sitting on shelves. For many eateries in Nepal, improper inventory management leads to significant profit loss through wastage, spoilage, and even pilferage. Tightening your controls is the fastest way to increase your bottom line.

1. Implement a First-In, First-Out (FIFO) System

Ensure that older stock is used before newer shipments. This simple practice is essential for perishable goods like vegetables, dairy, and meat. Organize your storeroom so new items go to the back and older items are pushed to the front.

2. Use Digital Tracking Tools

Stop relying on manual notebooks that are prone to errors and damage. Digital inventory management tools, integrated into systems like Yummy POS, allow you to track stock levels in real-time. You’ll know exactly how much chicken, basmati rice, or momo flour you have left without physically counting every single day.

3. Perform Regular Audits

Even with digital tools, physical checks are vital. Perform spot checks on high-value items like imported liquors or premium meats. Compare your physical stock count with what your system says you should have. Discrepancies often point to wastage or unrecorded consumption (theft), issues that can silently drain a restaurant's operating budget.

4. Automate Reordering with Low-Stock Alerts

Running out of a key ingredient like onions during a shortage in Kathmandu can be a disaster. Modern POS systems can set automatic low-stock alerts. When your inventory dips below a certain level, the system notifies you, ensuring you never have to deny a customer their favorite dish during a busy Friday night.

Pro Tip: Link your recipes to your inventory. When you sell one plate of Chicken Biryani, your system should automatically deduct 250g of chicken and 200g of rice from your stock.