Portion Control, Profitability, and Mr. Scrooge

Dave Ostrander, the "Big Dave" for 25 years at Big Dave’s Pizza & Subs in Oscoda, Michigan, offers consulting services nationwide with regards to profitability in foodservice. He's created what he calls the Portion Control Triangle to help keep quality up and costs down in his clients' businesses.

The first leg of Big Dave's Portion Control Triangle is "Be a Smart Buyer." Know the product your food rep is selling as well as or better than they do. Understand the markets as well as seasonal alternatives that will uphold the quality you require. As you've read in the industry press, the price of cheese is going up!

"Assembly - Be Right on the Money" is the second side of the Triangle, according to Dave. As proprietor and/or buyer, you can get the best deal on the best food, but if you have untrained or disinterested employees measuring portions, you're asking for a profit dip. In-line digital scales, portioned ladles and ample numbers of cups with clearly marked ounce graduations are a great start. Training and knowledge transfer puts your process on the best possible track. Clearly display your portion commandments for each item so employees don't soon "forget" in the heat of battle.

Pricing is not something that you borrow from your competitor. In the third leg of the Triangle, Big Dave points to (gasp!) computers and a sharpened accountants' pencil to continuously analyze food costs, anticipated ingredient overruns, and your final price, which includes a proper margin for your profitability.

Rubbermaid Commercial Products offers a full line of digital and mechanical scales to help you and your kitchen pros conquer the critical second leg of Big Dave's Triangle. Just make sure you have enough of them for each type of ingredient and procedures for proper cleaning in your daily routine. You don't have to be Mr. Scrooge to squeeze necessary profits from cheese that is rising in price these days - although putting on the green visor and sharpening your pencil in leg three is perfectly acceptable.

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