Food Portioning: 5 Signs That Standards Are Not Being Used

Food portioning is a main ingredient in keeping a vendor’s food cost down and keeping the products you serve consistent. The food truck industry is highly competitive. Few food truck vendors are able to lower prices and stay in business. But, in an effort to win over customers, many food trucks have increased portion sizes.

5 Signs That Food Portioning Standards Are Not Being Used

Here are 5 simple signs to tip you off that standards might not be part of your business model or if you or your staff members aren’t following those that you’ve installed.

No Tools. Measuring tools aren’t being used to portion food.
Different Sizes. Standards are lacking for serving bowls, plates, and cups.
Customers Notice. Customers tell you that portions are either too large or too small.
Low Side Dish Sales. Entree portions are too large and are discouraging the sale of appetizers and side dishes.
Leftovers. Too many items are left over or used up early in a shift.

Start Control Food Truck Portions

The first and most important step is to start by training your staff to use the correct serving utensils and dishes consistently. Provide a chart breaking down every menu item is also helpful for new staff. You can list exactly how much food goes with each item. If you still have issues, provide photos to help staff correctly portion food as it leaves the truck.

Profit Tip: Today’s consumers frequently make special requests based on dietary needs or preference. They may ask for substitutions or extra side dishes, which can cost more. Therefore, it is important to handle these requests properly to avoid a loss in profits.

The Bottom Line

Portion control, in theory, provides a vendor with consistency. Consistency results in standards that your customers would appreciate. It also helps food costs that always meet your budget. By controlling food portioning, you not only keep your food cost in line, you also ensure that customers will receive consistency when they order their favorite meal.

Do you have any additional signs that you use to keep an eye on the food portioning in your food truck? Share your thoughts on this topic in the comment section, our food truck forum or social media. Twitter | Facebook

By Richard Myrick|2019-11-21T08:50:42-05:00Nov 21, 2019|Business|

About the Author: Richard Myrick

Richard Myrick is an architect by degree (Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, Michigan) who began his career in real estate development and architectural planning. In September of 2010 he created Mobile Cuisine Magazine to fill an information void he found when he began researching how to start a mobile hotdog cart in Chicago. Richard found that there was no central repository of mobile street food information anywhere on the internet, and with that, the idea for MCM was born. Richard also wrote the "Running a Food Truck for Dummies" available in bookstores everywhere and Amazon. You can reach out to Richard by email at: [email protected].