MN Certified Food Managers Minimum wage

How MN Certified Food Managers Deal with a Rising Minimum Wage

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Later this year, the minimum wage in Minnesota is going up to 10 dollars an hour for high-grossing businesses and 8.15 for businesses that bring in less than $500,000 annually, and the minimum wage in Minneapolis is set to rise to 11.75 for small businesses and 12.25 an hour for businesses with over 100 employees. The majority of our local restaurants and food producers tend to be smaller, one-outlet operations, so they may have to adjust more than larger corporations. Just how will rising minimum wage affect the food industry, and is there anything MN certified food managers can do about it?

MN Certified Food Managers Minimum wage
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The New Minimum Wage and MN Certified Food Managers

If you’ve ever calculated food and labor cost, you know the profit margin in the food industry is already razor-thin, in some cases as low as pennies on the gross dollar. Under the circumstances, how is it possible for MN certified food managers to retain the same amount of staff yet still continue to make a profit?

Some theorize that with a rising minimum wage, the general populace will have more money to spend on luxuries such as eating out. If this theory holds true, then many restaurants could see extra revenue due to increased business or have the option of raising their prices. While it would take time to see if this theory holds out, it will be interesting to monitor if Minnesota restaurants will see an uptick in business due to the higher minimum wage rate.

Restaurateurs in areas with a higher than average minimum wage have suggested implementing a tip credit as an option for offsetting labor costs. A tip credit essentially involves a lower hourly wage than the minimum for workers who receive tips as a portion of their income. If their tips don’t raise their income per hour to equal or exceed Minnesota’s minimum wage, their employer would be required to compensate them to ensure they made the state-required wage per hour for their shift.

Finally, many larger restaurants see automation as a way to control labor costs. Using touchscreen kiosks or screens at individual tables allows them to reduce labor by cutting jobs. As technology becomes more advanced and cheaper to acquire, we may see some form of automation trickle down to lower-volume businesses. We don’t see this as an ideal solution, as we feel a thriving food industry should involve human staff wherever possible.

Does your MN certified food managers have a strategy for dealing with rising minimum wage?

ServSafe Food Managers Keep Food Safe

How ServSafe Food Managers Keep Food Safe During High Volume

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Once February 14th hits, ServSafe food managers can expect their business double, triple or even quadruple for a few days compared to the norm. We believe food safety protocols should be followed to the letter no matter how busy it is, so this week we’ll take a look at common lapses during high volume and how ServSafe food managers can keep food safe

ServSafe Food Managers Keep Food Safe
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ServSafe Food Manager Certification Standards for Food Safety While The Kitchen Is At Capacity

When we get busy, we sometimes tend to focus on our main goal, and when it’s food service on one of the busiest days of the year we’re talking about getting food to guests as quickly as possible so we can move on to the next order. It doesn’t matter if your receipt printer has spit tickets out in a string that reaches the floor or if you have a VIP at table three, food safety should be a high priority. Here are the two biggest neglected issues we see when restaurants get busier than average.

  • Handwashing
  • Barehand contact

Every ServSafe manager and food service employee should have it engrained in their mind to wash their hands frequently, and during exceptionally busy nights, handwashing can be neglected or just improperly performed. Handwashing needs to happen often, and it needs to be done right. We’re not talking about a quick rinse in lukewarm water with a dab of soap, we’re talking about proper 20-second handwashing with plenty of soap and hot water. We get it, 20 seconds seems like an eternity with servers pestering cooks looking for an ETA on their favorite guests’ meals or when the ding of the order printer ceaselessly calls you back to the line, but 20 seconds could be the difference between safe food and a sick guest.

Barehand contact rules can also be easily forgotten under duress. Tongs or gloves must be used when handling ready-to-eat foods and hands must be washed when changing gloves. To keep this freshly in your staff’s mind, make preparations to stock extra boxes of single-use food-service gloves anywhere in the kitchen where they’ll be used. Remind your employees that gloves are no substitute for handwashing after using the restroom, eating or handling raw ingredients.

Do you have any other tips to help fellow ServSafe food managers keep their food products safe this Valentine’s Day?

Healthy Menu Trends for 2020 and Certified Food Managers

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2020 is upon us, and the time has come for MN certified food managers to consider menu trends, assess their menus and evaluate if they’ve designed a menu that’s going to bring in new customers and keep their regular clientele happy. We’ve talked with industry professionals and taken a close look at forecasted trends, and we’ve discovered that many insiders believe that many restaurant menus will become healthier and simpler in the coming year.

2020 Menu Trends and Certified Food Managers

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Forecasted Restaurant Menu Trends for 2020 Impact Certified Food Managers

While there will always be a niche for nearly any menu strategy, we’ve heard a few professionals speculate five things will be key to keeping a loyal clientele in 2020.

  • Fewer Menu Choices
  • Simpler Dishes with Small Portion Sizes
  • More Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten-Free Dishes
  • Clear Menu Labeling
  • Seasonal Menu Rotation

The concept of smaller menus has been growing in popularity for several years. A streamlined menu not only helps guests make easy decisions but also helps your bottom line. With limited dishes, MN certified food managers have the opportunity to reduce waste by keeping a limited selection of product on hand rather than gambling on keeping an inventory full of ingredients for dishes that guests may never order.

Guests are more and more frequently searching for meals that help contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Smaller portions, simpler recipes and meals that fit certain dietary needs are increasingly in demand. You may want to consider creating a portion of your menu with dishes on the lighter side, this will attract guests who are looking to save on calories when dining out.

Diners are increasingly searching for establishments that serve vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and keto-friendly menu items, and including these types of dishes on your menus can attract repeat customers. But is simply having these types of menu items available enough? We suggest clearly labeling these items so guests don’t have to make their best guess or take the time to ask their servers a myriad of questions about every dish that could possibly fit their dietary preferences.

Finally, many potential patrons seek restaurants that use local and fresh ingredients. Rotating your menu to fit what local and sustainable ingredients are currently available will heighten your appeal to customers who value fresh and locally sourced ingredients. It may even benefit you to mention food sourced from local farms directly on your menu.

As a certified food manager will 2020 menu trends affect your menu designs?

Certified Food Protection Managers and Efficient Inventory Control

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January is upon us and for many foodservice operations that means a predictable lull in business after the hectic holiday months. If you’re one of those operations that experiences a post-holiday slow down, you may want to focus on projects that will contribute to how efficient the business side of your operation works. We recommended certified food managers assess and streamline your inventory control system during the offseason. It can go a long way towards helping your foodservice facility run more safely, efficiently and achieve a profit margin well into the new year.

Certified Food Protection Managers and Efficient Inventory Control

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Inventory Control Assessment Tips for Certified Food Managers

There are many benefits to periodically assessing your inventory control system to make sure it’s effective. Two of the most important are waste reduction and cost control.

Having your inventory information at your fingertips gives you the knowledge to both reduce waste and control food costs. Knowing how long product sits in your storeroom or under refrigeration will help you control ordering and prevent spoilage by giving you a better idea of how much of any given ingredient you use over certain periods of time. You’ll find that simply knowing what’s on hand will have you throwing out less outdated product and also prevent running out of key ingredients between orders.

How can certified food protection managers create an efficient inventory system? While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for every business, here are a few ideas to help you get started.

  • Create daily usage and waste logs
  • Find an easy to use a mobile app to track inventory
  • Upgrade your point-of-sale system to track product used

Most certified food protection managers only take a full inventory once a month on average. While this is great for assessing monthly food costs, it has the potential for giving you an incomplete picture of how your inventory works. Creating a daily log of what product is used or wasted can give you a much clearer picture of where you need to trim inventory or increase ordering pars.

Finally, there are many software solutions to help you keep track of your inventory. Apps are available for mobile devices and modern POS systems allow users to enter recipes and ingredients for menu items. Talk with a representative from the company that provides your point-of-sale software to see if there is an upgrade available to help track your inventory. It may cost more, but you may find you’ll save money in the long run with a more efficient inventory process.

Is it time for your certified food protection manager to take a closer look at your inventory systems?