Restaurant Food Stocktake Sheet

Who this is for

A kitchen count that tells you what to order as well as what you hold. Each line carries its store area, your own par level, what is actually there, the shortfall and the earliest use-by date.

Head chefs, kitchen managers and catering supervisors who count before the order goes in, and anyone who has to hand a stock value to the accounts at period end.

What this helps you track

• What is held in the dry store, the fridges, the walk-in and the freezer
• The shortfall against the par level you set for each line
• The earliest use-by date on each line, so old stock is used first
• The value of the food held at your own cost per unit
• A dated count to hand to accounts at the end of the period

How to use it

1. Write the site, the period and who is counting. Count at the same point in the week each time — usually after service and before the delivery.
2. List each line with its store area and the unit you buy it in: kilogram, case, tray, each. Keep the unit the same between counts.
3. Set your own par level for each line — the amount you want on hand at the end of a count. Nothing is suggested here; it depends on your menu, your deliveries and your storage.
4. Count what is there and write it in the on-hand column. Note the earliest use-by date you can see on that line.
5. The shortfall, the line value, the totals and the summary are worked out in the browser and workbook; on paper, subtract across and add down.
6. Order against the shortfall column, then file the sheet — the on-hand figures become the evidence behind your food cost.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

What is a par level and what should mine be?

It is the quantity you want on the shelf at the end of a count, set by how fast you use the line and how often you take deliveries. No figure is suggested here because it depends on your menu and your supplier's schedule.

Why is there only one use-by date per line?

Because the one that matters is the earliest. If a line holds stock with very different dates, split it into two rows so neither date gets lost.

Does this replace the temperature and food safety records?

No. This is a count and a valuation. Fridge and freezer temperatures, and the records that go with them, belong on their own log sheet.

Can I count each store area separately?

Yes — sort the lines by store area, or print a sheet per area with the area named in the header. The totals still add up when the sheets are put together.