With rising tariffs, persistent inflation, and mounting economic uncertainty, restaurant operators are under pressure to control costs without compromising guest experience. But the supply chain shocks of recent years have made one thing clear: Intelligent inventory systems, forecasting engines, and smart procurement tools can help restaurants build resilience, boost margins, and make sharper decisions in real time.
Start With Inventory
“Restaurants must be acutely aware of carrying costs and reduce their inventory purchases to minimize waste and maximize their use,” says Toby W. Malbec, VP of Global Restaurant Technology at Church’s Texas Chicken. “This is best done through tight integration with accurate menus, strong transaction-level detail around sales, and historical modeling.”
Skip Kimpel, President & CEO of Magicgate, notes some key inventory features that operators should be considering: IoT-enabled sensors to track real-time stock levels and conditions (e.g., temperature for perishables); POS integration to link actual sales with inventory depletion; and AI-driven alerts for low inventory, shrinkage, or unusual usage.
“Restaurants also need to review their recipes closely,” Malbec adds. “Look for ingredients that have seen sharp price increases, and consider substitutions that are less volatile—without sacrificing product quality or flavor.”
