Performance Dairy Craveable Flavor and Time Savings - banner - both - 04.24

Simplot Delivery Solved - Conquest Fries - banner - both - 08.20

Ready to Eat Frozen Vegetables - banner - both - 03.23

TNT Burgers - Learn More - skyscraper - both - 03.23

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt banner - both - 04.23

Hormel - Fontanini - Handcrafted Meats - Unparalleled Flavor - banner - both - 02.20

Banner Ad - 1 - MM - Recipes - Operator - supersized

Dan's Prize Corned Beef Pastrami - Simple, Tender - banner - both - 04.20

Jennie-O Take Burgers Over the Top with Turkey - skyscraper - both - 03.20

Nestle - Every Season is Pumpkin Season - skyscraper - both - 08.18

Sugar Food Traina California Dried Fruits - banner - OE - 10.19

Hormel - Bacon 1 - Less Time Less Grease Less Mess - banner - both - 02.20

Tork Compact Foodservice Cloths - banner - both - 07.17

Nestle White Cheddar Mac - Mac Pizza - skyscraper - both - 04.19

Rich's Plant Based and Gluten Free Crusts - skyscraper - both - 07.18

Hellmann's Vegan Dressing & Spread - skyscraper - OE - 10.22

Seafood is Better - skyscraper - both - 05.21

Nestle Stouffer's Comfort Foods Beyond Compare - video - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Cargill - Truvia Serve Americas Best Selling Stevia Sweetener - banner - both - 03.19

Performance Dairy Clarified Butter - banner - both - 04.24

Hormel - Fontanini - Handcrafted Family Recipes - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Nestle White Cheddar Mac - Customize Creamy Comfort - banner - both - 04.19

Reel in Greater Appeal - both - banner - 10.22

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Beautiful Inside and Out - banner - both - 04.18

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt skyscraper - both - 04.23

Simplot Conquest Crispy Potato Strips - banner - both - 01.20

Award Winning Flavor is Here - 2025 Food & Beverage Awards - banner - OE - 06.03 - 12.31.25

We're All in On Chicken - banner - both - 04.01 - 07.01.25

Deliver Flavor and Value with Galbani Mozzarella - skyscraper - both - 07.22

Simplot - Delivery Solved - Conquest Fries - skyscraper - both - 08.20

Banner Ad - 4 - PICs - Operator - supersized

Dan's Prize Pot Roast, Prime Rib, Short Ribs Time-Intensive Proteins Made Easy - banner - both - 04.20

Dan's Prize Sliced Meats Convenience - banner - both - 04.20

Simplot RoastWorks - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Cargill - Truvia Sweet Customer Satisfaction Naturally - skyscraper - both - 03.19

Hellmann's Vegan Dressing and Spread - banner - OE - 10.22

Indiana Packers - Vertical Integration - skyscraper - both - 07.21

Simply Potatoes Low Sodium Mashed Potatoes - skyscraper - both - 09.23

Butterball - Your Trusted Partner - skyscraper - both - 07.19

Sunny Fresh Egg Bake Bites - banner - both - 03.23

Grab 'n Go! Anytime. Every Time - banner - both - 07.23

Indiana Packers - All-in-One Pork Supplier - skyscraper - both - 07.21

Sugar Foods Barista Blend - skyscraper - both - 04.17

Global Fusion Operator Promo - OE - banner - 05.26 - 08.24.25

Simplot Harvest Fresh Avocado - banner - both - 01.20

Hormel - Bacon 1 - Great Bacon in Half the Time - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Wild Alaska Salmon Burgers - banner - both - 04.25

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Dress Your Table for Success - skyscraper - both - 04.18

Nestle Vitality - Build a Refreshing Beverage Program - banner - both - 04.20

Savor Imports - banner - both - 06.24

Skyscraper Ad - MM - Cook - Operator

Tyson - Wright Brand Bacon - skyscraper - both - 04.21

Dixie Ultra Surface Systems - skyscraper - both - 02.23

Sunny Fresh Egg Patty and French Toast - banner - both - 03.23

Simplot Conquest Crispy Potato Strips - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Catch of the Season - banner - both - 07.22

Nestle Stouffer White Mac and Cheese - banner - both - 08.18

Nestle White Cheddar Mac - Mac Pizza - banner - both - 04.19

Nestle Minors Slow Simmered Stock - Free Sample - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Style and Substance - banner - both - 04.18

Sunny Fresh Bacon and Cheese EggStravanganza - skyscraper - both - 03.23

Simplot GoodGrains - banner - both - 01.20

Basic American Crispy Craveable Operator banner ad - 12.17

Nestle Minors Slow-Simmered Stock - Free Sample - banner - both - 02.20

Campbells Brands Make Irresistible Flavor a Menu Staple - banner - both - 05.14 - 07.31.25

Simplot Sidewinders - Bendy is Trendy - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Empress 5-Compartment School Food Tray - 05.22

McCain - Tactical Takeout Webinar - skyscraper - both - 05.20

Simplot GoodGrains - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Campbells Snacks Fulfill All  Needs with Ease - skyscraper - both - 05-14 - 07.31.25

Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt skyscraper with chef - both - 04.23

Cargill - Truvia Sweet Customer Satisfaction Naturally - banner - both - 03.19

Simplot RoastWorks - banner - both - 01.20

Potato Perks App - banner - both - 05.22

McCain - Takeout and Delivery Menu Ideas - banner - both - 05.20

Performance Plus Food Safety - skyscraper - both - 09.21

Sugar Foods ecoStick Dispensers Beverage Station - skyscraper - both -10.16

Fabri-Kal - Packaging solutions for environmental and off-premise needs - banner - both - 11.19

Hormel - Bacon 1 - You've Never Seen Bacon Like This - banner - both - 02.20

Honest Earth - Better Potatoes for a Better World - skyscraper - both - 05.23

Sugar Foods - Turn Up the Beets Crispy Beets - banner - both - 05.18

Kraft - Bold Flavor, New Home. - skycraper - both - 08.22

Tyson - Hillshire Farm - Legendary Brand - skyscraper - both - 04.21

Mini Cinnamon Swirl French Toast - banner - both - 09.23

Rich's Plant Based Cooking Creme - skyscraper - both - 02.18

Campbells Snacks - Ready Set Snacks - banner - both - 05.14 - 07.31.25

Indiana Packers - All-in-One Pork Supplier - banner - both - 07.21

Nestle - Hot Cocoa Single-Serve Packets - banner - both - 09.21

Tyson - Bonici - Crave Chorizo - skyscraper - both - 04.21

Wild Alaska Salmon Burger - skyscraper - both - 04.25

Simplot Sidewinders - Make Waves - skyscraper - both - 01.20

Hormel - Fire-Braised Chicken - We Cook It - Operators Take Credit - skyscraper - both - 02.20

Seafood is Better - banner - both - 05.21

Rich's Plant-Based - Good Things Grow - skyscraper - both - 11.20

Sugar Foods ecoSticks Dress Your Table for Success - banner - both - 04.18

Banner Ad - 3 - OE - Operator - supersized

Certified Cage-Free Egg Bites - Portable, Protein-Packed Breakfast - banner - both - 09.23

Reel in Greater Appeal - skyscraper - both - 10.22

Nestle - Hot Cocoa Bulk and Single-Serve Packets - skyscraper - both - 09.21

Shrimp that Brings the Big Picture - skyscraper - both - 11.22

With shifting guest preferences, skyrocketing food costs, and slipping profit margins, running a successful restaurant is the ultimate balancing act.
If you&rsquo;re not getting the highest profit margin from your menu items, it&rsquo;s time to re-engineer your menu.
Menu engineering is crucial for every restaurant operator, but many struggle to get it right. With unpredictable food costs, fluctuating sales, and high staff turnover, adjusting recipes and menus can feel overwhelming.
Take control of your menu and supercharge the bottom line with our guide to menu engineering. Learn how to accurately calculate food costs, assess and categorize recipes, and design a menu that maximizes revenue. Get ready to turn your menu into a profit powerhouse! Download the guide <a title="Restaurant-365-Prep-List-Recipe-Costing-and-Menu-Engineering" href="https://greatmenusstarthere.com/uploads/files/Restaurant-365-Prep-List-Recipe-Costing-and-Menu-Engineering.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>.
Source: <a href="https://www.restaurant365.com/" target="_blank">Restaurant 365</a>

If you’re not getting the highest profit margin from your menu items, it’s time to re-engineer your menu.

Guide to Recipe Costing & Menu Engineering

In a fiercely competitive convenience store (c-store) landscape, foodservice has emerged as a major driver of growth. Fresh-prepared meals, grab-and-go options, and specialty beverages not only boost foot traffic but also deliver high margins. However, operational costs tied to foodservice &ndash; labor, waste, utilities, and supply chain complexity-can erode profitability if not carefully managed. To remain competitive and sustainable, operators must adopt strategic measures to control costs without compromising service or product quality.
Labor is one of the largest cost centers in foodservice. C-stores can reduce labor expenses by optimizing labor through smart scheduling and cross-training. This can be done by implementing a few steps like smart scheduling software that aligns staff hours with peak customer periods. By cross-training employees to perform multiple roles, from food prep to cashiering, reducing the need for multiple specialized staff members. Self-service kiosks and mobile ordering systems, which shift some tasks away from employees while improving service speed can also help. Additionally, investing in employee retention and training reduces turnover costs and improves productivity over time.
Overproduction and spoilage can silently drain profits. Operators can minimize waste by leveraging sales data and AI-based forecasting tools to better predict demand. Implementing first-in, first-out inventory management practices and monitoring portion control with pre-measured ingredients or automated dispensers to ensure consistency and reduce over-serving can aid in waste reduction. Regular waste audits can also uncover patterns and areas for improvement.
A smaller, strategically curated menu reduces complexity and operating costs. Benefits includes lower inventory requirements and fewer ingredients. I can provide easier training and faster prep time for employees. It can also improve customer experience with simplified choices and faster service.
While the upfront cost may be higher, energy-efficient ovens, refrigeration units, and lighting systems can drastically lower utility bills over time. Features like programmable thermostats, low-energy fryers, and LED lighting have fast payback periods and are often eligible for local rebates or incentives. Regular maintenance also prevents costly breakdowns and ensures equipment is running at peak efficiency.
Embracing technology to improve visibility and control through modern POS systems, inventory management platforms, and kitchen display systems that provide real-time data that enables better decision-making. For instance, monitoring inventory levels prevents over-ordering and under-stocking. By simply tracking sales trends this can help refine menu offerings and promotions. Integrating platforms reduces manual entry and human error, which will save on labor hours. Automation in ordering, prep, and back-office operations also cuts overhead while improving consistency.
One last tip is adopting scalable foodservice programs. For C-store new foodservice or looking to expand offerings cost-effectively, modular and scalable foodservice programs are ideal. These programs allow stores to start with low-complexity, high-demand items like coffee, roller grill items, or cold sandwiches. Scale into higher-margin, fresh-prepared meals as demand and staff skill levels increase. Franchise-style solutions or partnerships with branded foodservice providers can also offer turnkey systems with built-in cost controls.
In a market where every penny counts, reducing operator costs in foodservice without cutting corners in critical. By adopting a multi-pronged approach-ranching from labor optimization and waste reduction to smarter purchasing and technology integration-convenience store operators can build a foodservice program that is both profitable and scalable. Ultimately, the goal is to strike the right balance between operational efficiency, product quality, and customer satisfaction-because in the convenience industry, that&rsquo;s what drives repeat business and long-term growth.
Content courtesy of General Mills Foodservice

To remain competitive and sustainable, operators must adopt strategic measures to control costs without compromising service or product quality.

Maintaining Quality while Eliminating Cost for C-Store Operators

In the relentless hustle of foodservice operations, the spotlight often shines on innovation in menu design, customer experience, and supply chain management. Yet sometimes the most powerful improvements are found in the most practical places - like the humble oven pan.
Often overlooked, pan liners are transforming back-of-house operations with a quiet but powerful impact. These disposable liners, made from high-temperature film, are redefining how kitchens think about labor efficiency, food safety, and operational costs.
Labor Savings
Let&rsquo;s start with labor, a resource that's becoming more costly and harder to manage. Pan liners slash the time required for cleanup by eliminating the need to soak and scrub pans. For kitchens running back-to-back services or catering large events, this time saved adds up fast. A task that once took 20 minutes may now take five. Multiply that across a day, and you're not just saving time, you're saving wages, improving morale, and keeping operations moving smoothly.
But the savings go beyond labor. With pan liners, kitchens use fewer cleaning chemicals, reducing expenses and minimizing staff exposure to harsh substances. Fewer chemicals also mean less wear and tear on your cookware and less damage to plumbing systems.
Food waste reduction is another underappreciated benefit. Panliners ensure smooth release of food, eliminating the frustration of torn pastries or stuck portions. In an age where sustainability and profit margins intersect, every saved portion matters.
Finally, let&rsquo;s not forget food safety. With fewer surfaces exposed to food residue, the risk of cross-contamination drops. Pan liners offer a simple, scalable way to elevate sanitation standards, especially important in high-volume settings where the smallest contamination can have costly consequences.
In short, pan liners aren&rsquo;t just convenient, they&rsquo;re strategic. They save time, reduce overhead, enhance food quality, and contribute to a cleaner, safer kitchen. For operators striving to do more with less in a labor-tight economy, adopting pan liners isn&rsquo;t a luxury, it&rsquo;s the best practice.
It&rsquo;s time we give this back-of-house essential the recognition it deserves. Because sometimes, efficiency doesn&rsquo;t come from reinventing the wheel, it comes from lining the pan.
Let&rsquo;s recap on how panliners reduce operating costs:
1. Minimized Cleaning Time
<ul>
<li>No scrubbing or soaking required &ndash; Panliners eliminate the need to scrub baked-on residue from pans</li>
<li>Faster turnaround &ndash; Staff can quickly clean up and reset for the next batch, improving kitchen efficiency</li>
</ul>
2. Reduced Need for Harsh Cleaning Chemicals
<ul>
<li>Since pans don&rsquo;t get as dirty, operations can use fewer degreasers and detergents, cutting costs on cleaning supplies and minimizing chemical exposure for staff</li>
</ul>
3. Increased Equipment Longevity
<ul>
<li>Panliners protect cookware surfaces from burns, scratches, and corrosion, which helps:
<ul>
<li>Extend the lifespan of expensive pans and trays</li>
<li>Avoid frequent replacements due to wear and tear</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
4. Lower Labor Costs
<ul>
<li>Because cleanup is faster and easier, staff spend less time on cleanup and more time on prep or service, improving overall labor productivity</li>
<li>Help reduce overtime pay related to end-of-day cleaning tasks</li>
</ul>
5. Consistent Food Release
<ul>
<li>Prevent sticking and tearing, especially with baked goods or sticky items, reducing product loss and waste</li>
<li>Ensure better product presentation, which matters in high-volume or catering environments</li>
</ul>
6. Food Safety Improvements
<ul>
<li>Minimize direct contact between food and pans, reducing cross-contamination risk and ensuring better compliance with food safety protocols</li>
<li>Less need for pan seasoning or re-oiling, which improves cleanliness</li>
</ul>
Content courtesy of Handgards

Sometimes the most powerful improvements are found in the most practical places - like the humble oven pan.

Pan Liners: The Unsung Heroes of Kitchen Efficiency and Cost Savings

Archives

Money Matters

Guide to Recipe Costing & Menu Engineering

Maintaining Quality while Eliminating Cost for C-Store Operators

Pan Liners: The Unsung Heroes of Kitchen Efficiency and Cost Savings