Par stock in hotels: meaning, formula and examples
By mise · Updated September 29, 2026
Quick answer: par stock is the quantity of an item a hotel keeps on hand to cover use until the next delivery or restock, plus a safety buffer. Formula: par = (usage per day × days between deliveries) + safety stock. Linen uses a special par: sets per bed (usually 3 to 4).
Par is the number every department restocks to. Get it right and nobody runs out and nothing sits on the shelf for months.
The par stock formula
Examples by department
| Item | Usage | Delivery | Par |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast milk (gal) | 6 a day | every 3 days | 18 + 4 safety = 22 |
| Amenity kits | 28 a day | weekly | 196 + 30 = 226 |
| House vodka (bottles) | 1.5 a day | weekly | 10.5 + 2 = 13 |
| Minibar water | 2 per room | restocked at checkout | 2 per room (the standard) |
| Queen sheet sets | — | laundry cycle | 3 per bed |
Keep pars alive
Pars go stale: occupancy changes by season, menus change, suppliers change delivery days. Review pars every quarter using real usage between counts, and set them higher for high season.
See also the general par level guide and the reorder point formula.
With mise
Set a par per item and per location (storeroom, kitchen, bar, minibar, housekeeping). When a count or an issue takes an item below par, mise flags it on the list of what to buy.
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
What does par stock mean in a hotel?
The quantity of an item kept on hand to cover use until the next restock, plus a buffer. For linen it means sets per bed.
What is the par stock formula?
Par = (usage per day × days between deliveries) + safety stock.
What is a normal linen par?
3 to 4 sets per bed: bed, laundry, linen room and a spare.