Consistently prepared food creates trust in a brand that doesn’t disappoint. Your customers want to enjoy the same candy-garlic steak and roasted brussels sprouts today as they did two weeks ago. Dependability creates loyalty, and loyal customers bring in the lion’s share of your profits. Providing the experiences that keep diners coming through your doors takes planning, training, and the right equipment.

Sourcing and procuring quality food
Great-tasting food starts with quality ingredients. A primary vendor that supplies safe and consistent products is foundational for your establishment to put out excellent menu items — every time. Find a vendor that has a good reputation and one you trust. Utilizing multiple other suppliers for seasonal or specialty items can help your operation create amazing signature dishes by capitalizing on a vendor’s niche. Farm-to-table is another option for providing consistency through a more seamless supply chain. Many markets are moving toward this direct model because it helps eliminate middleman roadblocks. Plus, knowing where your food comes from, what the animals eat, and how produce is grown speaks to your customer’s desire for more transparency.

Training and clear procedures
Understanding the critical control points in your restaurant is vital to a successful operation. Step one is to create standard operating procedures for areas that impact your ability to bring consistent results to the table. Providing recipes with clearly written instructions from beginning to end is a good place to address — just make sure to include all ingredients, food measurements, temperature setting, blower speeds, final food temperatures, pictures of plating, and any other standards you expect. Also, ensure your employees know where and how to reference each recipe. Proper training, communication, and bringing new employees up to speed quickly are integral to putting out dependable menu items for your customers.

Portion control matters
To follow the control points of each recipe and plating procedure, your operation will need to invest in proper portion control tools. Food is measured by weight or volume, so using measuring cups, spoons, and portion scales are essential for consistent food output and satisfied customers. No one wants one cup of garlic mashed potatoes at one visit and a half cup on the next. And a tablespoon of horseradish in your sauteed swiss chard will taste vastly different than an eyeballed unknown amount. Not to mention, portion control is a vital factor in controlling the costs of your operation.

Programmable equipment for consistency
Equipment that works harder for you is key to producing dependable dishes. Having standard operating procedures in place is important for the foundation of your business. But smart, programmable equipment with the ability to input different recipes that cook each menu item at the correct temperature for the right amount of time, with the exact blower speed — is a game-changer. This feature can help with employee training and get everyone on the same page to produce consistent dishes with more ease. Ovens are one of the most utilized pieces of equipment within a commercial kitchen; be sure yours creates consistent results. A quality oven with precise temperature settings and evenly distributed heat matters greatly in the cooking process and can make all the difference between a happy diner and an over-cooked salmon that’s sent back to the kitchen.

Technology that revolutionizes
Bringing excellence to your diner’s table every time establishes trust in your brand. And trust keeps customers coming back. Inspired to learn more about a technology that’s revolutionizing consistency in the restaurant industry, take a look at our blog: What is Precision Impingement Cooking Technology.