How the surge in dining out could be bad for your restaurant

Have you ever had a meal taste so great that you planned to go back to the restaurant again the very next day?

Rest assured you're not alone. Dining out is on the rise in Australia as consumers are spending 6 per cent more at their favourite establishments than they did two years ago, according to data from Commonwealth Bank. Food and beverage business owners will need to accommodate the surge in general interest, but that doesn't mean simply making sure you've ordered enough food and ingredients, however.

With more traffic expected to flow through the doors, kitchen staff needs to be prepared to maintain the same clean conditions, despite the increased workload. For this, the testo Saveris Restaurant solution can help.

Following the numbers

Australians are spending roughly $640 million per month eating out at their favourite restaurants, Commonwealth Bank reported. This equates to roughly $140 each month per person.

It's clear that the burgeoning 'foodie' culture has prompted renewed interest in dining out, but it's not exactly a cake walk for the restaurants catering to the heightened demand. The increase in volume means more traffic in the kitchen which can result in an accidental breach of food codes – after all, we're human and make mistakes. The trend also places greater significance on quality management.

Create calm during the storm

Anyone who has worked in a kitchen can agree that the last thing you want to have to do during a rush is spend unnecessary time going over regulations that you can recite by heart. But in reality, with so much going on even the most tenured chefs can undercook food or miss a glaring red flag.

The key in overcoming this lies in the process and tools restaurant owners have put in place. One example can apply to regulatory checklists, which can sometimes be ignored if there's a lot of preparatory work that needs to be done in lieu of a high volume night.

The testo Saveris Restaurant solution aims to reverse the tables with a tablet that guides staff through a simple and effective sweep of kitchen conditions in accordance with local compliance. The waterproof device is built for hectic kitchens and holds every important piece of information that kitchen personnel would need.

Furthermore, the system allows chefs to create automated alarms. These earn their place during the height of rush hour, where line cooks can quickly use a thermometer to check the temperature of the food and be told instantly whether it's safe for consumption.

There will be a bright light shined on the quality of food for the foreseeable future; make sure that when it comes to your restaurant, it's for the right reason. Contact a Testo representative today to learn more.