Inventory counts
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Key takeaway: Varastiq counts follow your restaurant the way you walk it: cooler, freezer, dry storage, bar, prep. In the Stiq app you search for an item and enter the quantity or measured weight, and move on. It works offline in the walk-in. When you submit, you get your on-shelf dollar value, variance flags and an order to par built by vendor.
What it's worth: one point of food cost on $1M in food sales is $10,000 a year. Varastiq helps you review item usage in reporting and large count changes while counting.
Why do restaurant counts take so long?
Most counts fight the sheet, not the shelf. The list is alphabetical, or in the order items were entered, so the counter zig-zags between the walk-in and dry storage. Partial cases get guessed. Numbers go on a clipboard and get retyped later, usually late at night. Then nobody trusts the result, so it isn't used for anything.
How does a Varastiq count work?
- Set up once: your areas in walk order. Cooler, freezer, dry, bar, prep, or however your building flows. That's the only setup list.
- Walk and count. Every count follows that same path. Search for an item, then tap the number.
- Count in the unit that makes sense: by weight, case, each, or prep build.
- Weigh partials. Use your own scale, then enter the measured weight manually. Useful for proteins, bulk dry goods and open packs.
- Keep going without signal. The app saves every entry on the device and syncs when you're back on signal. Counts are fully resumable.
- Review before you submit. Big drops, pending items and anything expiring show up first. See variance and theft flags.
- Submit and get the order. Everything below par is grouped by vendor, ready to send.
What happens after you submit a count?
- Your on-shelf dollar value updates, with week-over-week movement, broken down by area or category.
- An order to par is built by vendor, so you don't double-buy what's already on the shelf.
- Submitted count results are available in the owner portal.
- Expiring items rise to the top with the dollars at risk beside them, so they become tonight's special instead of tomorrow's waste.
Do I need special hardware?
No. The Stiq app runs in a modern web browser on the phones your team already has. You enter quantities and measured weights manually. More on the app: Stiq for iOS, Android and web.
How often should a restaurant count inventory?
Count high-value and fast-moving items (proteins, seafood, liquor) at least weekly. That keeps variance traceable to a specific week. A full count lines up with your accounting period, usually weekly or monthly. The same period should be used for food cost percentage, so the numbers line up.
Who is this for?
Kitchen managers, sous chefs and bar managers who do the count, and owners who want a count they can trust without being there.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Stiq app work offline?
Yes. The app saves every entry on the device and syncs when you're back on signal, so a dead spot in the walk-in won't lose a count.
Can I count by weight?
Yes. Enter quantities manually by weight, case, each or prep build, using the units configured for your items.
How do I find an item?
Search by name in the count screen. Camera barcode scanning is not offered in the current screen.
Can I count prepped items?
Yes. You can count prepped items as builds, so batches on the shelf are valued at their recipe cost.
What is order to par?
Par is the amount of an item you want on hand. After a count, Varastiq builds an order for everything below par, grouped by vendor and ready to send.