As a restaurateur you have invested a lot of time and money building a reputation for excellent food and service. Running a restaurant involves every aspect of your business and it can be easy to overlook the maintenance of your key equipment with an “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” attitude. This attitude can lead to breakdowns or poorly functioning equipment that can cause food wastage and contamination. Restaurant accounting will show you that investing in a good maintenance regime can save you costly issues down the line.
Ice Machine and Refrigeration Maintenance
Biofilms are the slimy build up that can thrive in commercial ice machines. When allowed to develop biofilms provide a protective matrix in which microorganisms such as bacteria can collect. Once protected in Biofilms fighting bacteria becomes even more difficult no matter how aggressive a cleaning and sanitation regime you follow. This means you may unknowingly be serving contaminated ice to guests as you believe your ice machine to be clean. Some of the serious germs that can be found in ice machines include:
- Salmonella
- Listeria
- E Coli
- Shigella
- Norwalk virus
This is something that can be passed onto anyone visiting your establishment from a group enjoying some after work drinks to diners enjoying a meal. That means that although food has been prepared impeccably, a patron drinking a glass of water containing contaminated ice could become ill. It would only be natural for them to assume that it was due to food poisoning, not to contaminated ice. Ensuring the proper cleaning and care of your ice machine will keep your reputation intact and your guests free from contracting serious illness.
Cooking and Food Storage Equipment
Thawing and freezing in a faulty freezer or refrigerator can also lead to serious illness for patrons. The cost of lost food due to storage issues can also put a huge dent in your bottom line and restaurant accounting. When it comes to your cooking equipment you also have to keep an eye on things. Imagine what a disaster it would be to have to send customers away on one of your busiest nights due to broken equipment or worse having to shut down for a few days when you have equipment in need of repairs.
Specialty Equipment
Don’t forget about specialty equipment as well. Your patrons might love your Daiquiris or Margaritas but you can’t make them without your frozen drink machine. It might be an authentic cup of espresso or cappuccino at the end of a perfect meal they can’t live without. Being certain the equipment you need to complete everyone’s dining experience is a must so you don’t leave guests wanting.
With all the costs associated with running a restaurant it may seem investing in equipment maintenance is not something you can manage. However when you weigh the pros and cons it is easy to see it will help you avoid costly repairs down the road while keeping your reputation for impeccable food and service intact. That just makes good restaurant accounting sense.
CFO Business Growth Solutions, LLC provider of Nationwide Restaurant Accounting and Consulting Services For more information go to http://www.cforas.com/why-us/
Leave a Reply