How to use data to improve your restaurant's performance

It's more important than ever to use data to make informed decisions about your business. By tracking and analysing key metrics, you can identify areas where you can improve your operations, increase sales, and reduce costs.

Here are some tips on how to use data to improve your restaurant's performance:

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Track your sales data

This includes both total sales and sales by menu item, day of the week, and time of day. By tracking your sales data, you can identify trends and patterns. You may notice that certain menu items are more popular at certain times of day - this can help you to optimise your menu and schedule your staff accordingly.

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Track your customer data

Think: customer demographics, purchase history, and feedback. By tracking your customer data, you can learn more about your target audience and what they want from your restaurant. This information can help you to tailor your marketing efforts and improve the customer experience.

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Track your food and beverage costs

Track the cost of each ingredient, as well as the cost of preparing and serving each dish. By tracking your food and beverage costs, you can identify areas where you can reduce costs without sacrificing quality.

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Track your labour costs

It's important to track your labour costs to ensure that you're not overstaffed or understaffed. You should also track labour productivity, which measures how much sales your staff generates per hour. By tracking labour costs and productivity, you can identify areas where you can improve efficiency and reduce costs.

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Analyse your data

Identify trends and patterns - you may notice your sales are down on certain days of the week or that certain menu items are costing you more than they should. By analysing your data, you can identify areas where you can make improvements.

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Make data-driven decisions

If you notice that your sales are down on certain days of the week, you could try running a promotion on those days to attract more customers. Or, if you notice that certain menu items are costing you more than they should, you could try to find cheaper alternatives or remove them from the menu altogether.

Some more tips and tricks:

• Optimise your menu
• Improve your marketing campaigns
• Reduce food waste
• Improve labour efficiency
• Invest in a good point-of-sale system
• Use data visualisation tools