Batch Coding & FIFO Rotation: Cut Ingredient Waste by 35%

Why Batch Coding Matters

Unlabelled containers in walk-in fridges are the #1 cause of preventable waste. That cream opened 5 days ago looks identical to the one opened yesterday — until someone uses the wrong one and a customer sends back a curdled dish.

Batch coding takes 30 seconds per container: date opened, use-by date, staff initials. Use colour-coded day dots (Monday=red, Tuesday=blue) for quick visual checks during busy service.

Implementing FIFO in Your Kitchen

FIFO is simple in theory, hard during rush hour. Make it physical: newer stock goes behind older stock on shelves. Train receiving staff to check dates before accepting deliveries.

• Label all opened items within 1 hour of opening
• Daily walk-in fridge check: remove expired items before prep
• Use clear containers — you cannot FIFO what you cannot see
• Assign one person per shift as "FIFO monitor"
• Track waste weekly — target 2–3% of food cost

Connect Waste Reduction to Menu Updates

When you remove a slow-moving dish from your menu, ingredient waste drops immediately. Audit your menu quarterly — dishes selling fewer than 5 times per week drain inventory.

Use DineCard to mark items "sold out" when ingredients run low, rather than continuing to sell dishes you cannot make fresh. Real-time menu updates prevent orders for unavailable items.

Frequently Asked Questions