Running out of a popular item can disappoint customers, but keeping too much stock can take up freezer space and affect cash flow. Good stock planning helps a café or restaurant keep enough waffles for expected sales without ordering blindly.
You do not need a complicated system to begin. A simple weekly record can provide useful information for ordering and menu planning.
1. Start with Actual Sales
Record how many waffle portions are sold each day. Do not estimate based only on how busy the café feels.
A basic record can include:
- Date
- Opening stock
- Quantity received
- Quantity sold
- Quantity used for samples or staff training
- Damaged or wasted quantity
- Closing stock
After a few weeks, you can see whether demand is higher on weekdays, weekends, public holidays or during special promotions.
2. Separate Normal Sales from Special Events
A promotion, catering order or festive weekend may create unusually high sales. Mark these events in your record.
If one large event is mixed into normal weekly sales, you may order too much for the following week. Keep regular café demand and confirmed event demand as separate figures.
3. Set a Simple Reorder Point
Your reorder point is the stock level that tells you it is time to place the next order.
To decide this, consider:
- Average number of waffles sold per day
- Number of days needed for delivery
- Extra stock for unexpected demand
- Available freezer space
For example, if your café normally sells more waffles on Saturday and Sunday, do not wait until Friday evening to check the freezer. Set a regular stock-check day that gives enough time to reorder.
Delivery schedules and coverage can change, so confirm the current arrangement with your supplier instead of depending on an old estimate. Waffle5 customers can check the latest delivery areas and rates before ordering.
4. Check Freezer Capacity
Frozen products must be stored according to their supplied storage instructions. Before increasing an order, make sure the freezer has enough suitable space.
Avoid filling the freezer so tightly that staff cannot find or rotate stock properly. Waffle packs should be kept organised, protected and clearly separated where needed from other food items.
If several outlets share stock, record transfers between outlets. Otherwise, the system may show stock at one branch even though the product has been moved elsewhere.
5. Use First-In, First-Out Rotation
Place older stock where staff can use it first, and put newer stock behind it. Check the product label and follow the stated storage period.
A simple label can show:
- Date received
- Product or flavour
- Quantity
- Use-by guidance from the supplier
Do not rely only on memory, especially when several people receive or prepare stock.
6. Keep Flavour Planning Practical
Offering many flavours can be attractive, but each flavour takes up space and must be monitored.
Review sales by flavour. Keep more of the flavours customers order regularly and a smaller amount of slower-moving choices. If a flavour does not sell consistently, consider using it as a limited special instead of permanent stock.
A mixed or trial waffle pack can also help the team learn which flavours customers prefer before committing to a wider menu.
7. Account for More Than Customer Orders
Stock does not leave the freezer only through paid menu sales. It may also be used for:
- Staff training
- Product photography
- Customer samples
- Complaints or replacements
- Events
- Damaged packaging
- Incorrect preparation
Record these uses. If they are ignored, your physical stock will not match your sales report.
8. Prepare for Promotions and Busy Periods
Before running a promotion, estimate the maximum number of portions your kitchen can prepare and the amount of stock available.
Check the following:
- Promotion dates
- Expected extra orders
- Confirmed supplier delivery date
- Freezer capacity
- Staff schedule
- Topping and packaging stock
There is little benefit in promoting a waffle dish heavily if the kitchen cannot prepare it during busy periods or if related toppings run out first.
9. Review the Record Every Week
A short weekly review is enough for many small cafés. Compare:
- Expected sales against actual sales
- Ordered quantity against used quantity
- Popular flavours against slow-moving flavours
- Waste against the previous week
- Closing stock against the physical freezer count
Use this information to adjust the next order gradually. Avoid making a large change based on only one unusual day.
Simple Stock Planning Supports Better Service
Frozen waffles can reduce preparation work, but the café still needs proper stock control. Use actual sales, clear labels, regular freezer checks and a sensible reorder point.
Waffle5 works with cafés, restaurants and other F&B businesses looking for frozen Belgian Liège waffle supply in Malaysia. Visit our Waffle Supplier Malaysia page to learn about our business solutions and discuss current supply arrangements.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should a café count frozen waffle stock?
A café can record daily usage and perform a physical count at least once a week. High-volume outlets may need more frequent checks.
How much safety stock should a café keep?
It depends on normal sales, delivery timing, freezer space and demand changes. Use your own records and confirm current delivery arrangements with the supplier.
Why does physical stock sometimes differ from sales records?
Samples, staff training, waste, replacements, transfers and recording mistakes can create differences. Record every use, not only customer sales.
