Best Tips for Managing Inventory According to a 2014 Food Waste Reduction Alliance study, eighty-four percent of unused food in restaurants is disposed of. That's money sent straight to the trash can. Inventory management can seem daunting for employees, but restaurant owners understand its importance as one of the most crucial tasks to stay on top of in order to stay in budget and not waste funds. But what is inventory management? Essentially, it is a loss prevention process to keep track of what comes into your kitchen, what goes out, and what is left over. But it is much more than a pen and paper, once a month, 2-minute glance inside your restaurant refrigerator. Depending on the size and location of your restaurant, different levels of inventory checks should be completed daily, weekly, and monthly. And while that might seem time-consuming, there are tools and tips to streamline checks and to improve overall efficiency. #1. Do away with paper lists—these are easy to lose or