My husband and I own a convenience store/petrol station/takeaway food business. One of the biggest things, when running the business, is figuring out different ways we can save money or not waste it. The place is very busy and you can easily lose track of what you are wasting in your business. Every takeaway bag of food wrapping paper you throw in the bin, is one less that you can use in the appropriate way. Your staff do not understand that everything adds up, and even the smallest little thing costs you money when you times it by 100 of them wasted, that turns into big dollars.
Shop around with your suppliers
You would think that all suppliers have the same price, but they do not. It is amazing what you can save when you shop around. Sometimes I can save $10 on a carton of drinks and if I am buying six of them, that is $60 that I’ve saved already. This is just crazy money that you can save in your takeaway food business. What a waste it is if you do not shop around with your suppliers and make deals with them.
Another thing is, just because someone says they are a wholesaler, this does not automatically mean they have the best prices. Maybe that person bought from a wholesaler and added their cut to the price. Do your research or you will lose money.
Recently I found a product for $5 wholesale price when I was paying $15. I nearly died when I added up the savings.
Do not use packaging for your staff
Staff often eat or drink from your takeaway food business. Insist that they use a real plate or a real cup and not your packaging that you use for the customers. we have a coffee machine at this takeaway food business and I do not mind the staff having a coffee, but they must have it in one of our mugs and not the takeaway cups. If they choose to use a takeaway cup then I will charge them for the Coffee.
Watch your used by dates
I have been caught buying stock that had limited use by dates and had to sell the stock quickly or I would lose my money. It is amazing how much money you can save if you keep an eye on the dates of your stock. If you freeze food and do not let it go off in the fridge, this alone can save you loads of money in your takeaway food business.
Another simple way to save money in your takeaway food business is to rotate stock correctly. Many staff members do not understand how important the rotation of stock is and if you sell the newest stock first, the old stock goes out of date and his worthless.
Get your staff to do the right jobs
You should never do the jobs that your staff can do because your staff cannot do your jobs. Selling the end you are left doing their job and your job. For example, if the boss was to clean the store at the end of the day, then who is going to fill the ATM machine, or balance off the till? Therefore the staff should clean the store while the owner is doing the appropriate jobs that they need to. Otherwise you are wasting your money hiring staff in the first place.
There are literally a million ways to save money in your takeaway food business so this is only the tip of the ice burg.