Restaurant Inventory Management in Excel: Par Levels, FIFO and Stock Counts
Set up restaurant inventory control in Excel or Google Sheets - item master, par and reorder levels, stock counts, variance and expiry alerts.
6 min read · Updated 8 November 2026
Most restaurants do not need expensive inventory software to start. A well-built spreadsheet gives you control over what you hold, what it is worth, what to order and what is about to expire.
1. Build an item master
List every item once with its unit (kg, L, pc), current cost, main supplier, shelf life and storage type. Use the same unit everywhere - mixing grams and kilograms is the most common source of errors.
2. Set par and reorder levels
- Par level: the ideal quantity right after a delivery.
- Reorder level: the quantity at which you must place an order.
- Suggested order = par level minus current stock.
3. Count regularly
Count perishables daily or every few days, dry store weekly and everything at month end. Compare the physical count with expected stock (opening + received - issued). The difference is your variance - and a repeated negative variance means stock is going missing, being wasted without record or issued incorrectly.
4. Rotate stock: FIFO and FEFO
First In, First Out uses older stock first; First Expired, First Out uses the item with the earliest expiry first. Record the nearest expiry date during counts so items that must be used soon are flagged.
Tip: Track receipts and issues in a simple ledger between counts. It turns month-end surprises into daily visibility.
5. Check deliveries at the door
Inventory control starts at receiving: check quantity against the purchase order, temperature of chilled and frozen goods, packaging, labels and expiry - and record rejections.
This guide is general information to help food businesses improve their practices. It is not legal advice. Always check the current FSSAI requirements that apply to your licence or registration.