How to do restaurant inventory, step by step
By mise · Updated September 29, 2026
Quick answer: count weekly at the same time, before deliveries; organize the count sheet in the order of your shelves; count in consistent units including partial items; price each item at its latest invoice cost; then calculate food cost = beginning inventory + purchases − ending inventory, divided by food sales.
Restaurant inventory has one job: telling you what your food and drinks really cost and where money is leaking. Here's how to take it so the number means something.
1. Decide when and how often
Weekly is the standard for food and beverage. Pick a moment when the kitchen is quiet and before the next delivery — Sunday night or Monday morning. Proteins and liquor, your most expensive categories, can be spot-checked daily.
2. Organize storage and the list together
Label shelves, keep the same product in the same place, and put the count list in shelf order: walk-in, reach-ins, freezer, dry storage, bar. First in, first out: oldest product in front.
3. Count in fixed units
Choose a counting unit for each item and never change it: each, lb, case, bottle, #10 can. Partial units count too: a half case of lemons, 0.3 of a bottle of vodka, 4.5 lb of ground beef.
4. Price the count
Multiply each count by the most recent invoice cost in the same unit. The total is your ending inventory value — split it into food, beer, wine, liquor and supplies.
5. Turn it into food cost
Most full-service restaurants land between 28% and 35%. Use the food cost calculator and read what a good food cost is.
6. Look for the leaks
Compare what you used with what you sold. The big gaps usually come from portioning, waste that was never logged, recipes that changed, and theft. A waste log explains a lot of them.
Make counting take half the time
With mise you scan each item and the mise AI finds the product from the barcode or a photo and brings it back complete; you type only the quantity. Counts are split by location, several people can count together, and when you close the count you see the value, the difference from what you should have and your food cost.
Point the camera and the product comes up complete: name, brand, category, size and photo — the mise AI finds it from the barcode or a photo. 7-day free trial, no card.
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Frequently asked questions
How often should restaurants do inventory?
Weekly for food and beverage, at the same day and time. Many operators also spot-check proteins and liquor daily.
What is the best way to count restaurant inventory?
Follow the shelves in order, count in fixed units including partial ones, and price with the latest invoice. Scanning barcodes with an app is faster and avoids typing mistakes.
What is a normal restaurant food cost?
Roughly 28–35% of food sales for full-service restaurants, lower for pizza and higher for steakhouses. Beverage cost is usually 18–24%.