Hospitality Inventory 2025 – Survey Reveals Room for Action

Inventory as a key factor for success

For many hospitality operators, inventory is a tedious chore. In reality, however, it is decisive for a business's success. Over 1,000 hospitality businesses – including restaurants, bars, cafés and hotels – took part in a recent survey by BarBrain GmbH. The results offer clear insight into how inventories are carried out today.

The survey was conducted anonymously and without compensation to obtain the most unbiased insights possible. The findings make clear: in most businesses, inventory is still neglected – yet at the same time, digital approaches open up significant opportunities. In this article we present the key findings and show why consistent stock counts save real money.

Inventory frequency: how often is counting done?

Inventory frequency: the survey reveals varying intervals. 15% of respondents carry out inventory daily, 21% weekly, 33% monthly, 8.4% quarterly and 17.8% annually. This distribution shows that whilst around 69% count at least monthly, a good quarter of businesses carry out a stock count only once a quarter or less frequently. Without regular inventories, however, the storeroom becomes a dangerous black box – with direct negative consequences for profit, cost control and operations, as experts emphasise. Regular inventories are essential to avoid shortages and uncover losses in good time.

Inventory methods: pen, Excel or software?

Inventory methods: over half of businesses (53%) still record stock the traditional way with pen and paper, whilst a further 27% use Excel spreadsheets. Only around 8% already use a POS or inventory management system for their stock counts. Roughly 12% cited other methods. The dominance of manual approaches (over 80% forgo specialist tools) points to considerable efficiency potential that digital solutions could unlock. Paper-based systems and manual Excel lists are not only time-consuming – they are also error-prone, and there is often no time to count more frequently. This is where digital inventory comes in, which we examine in more detail below.

Risks of infrequent stock counts

Without regular inventory, surprises lie in wait: popular ingredients or beverages can suddenly run out because stock levels were overestimated without any checks. At the same time, invisible losses often go undetected for long periods. On average, hospitality businesses lose around 20% of revenue each month through shrinkage, theft and complimentary drinks – much of which only comes to light at the month-end when target and actual stock do not match. Up to 75% of these inventory losses are attributable to theft (direct or indirect). In other words: trust is good – control is better. Those who count rarely or not at all often notice too late where stock is missing or sitting in excess. Excess stock ties up capital and not infrequently ends up as spoiled waste. The consequences range from lost revenue and rising cost of goods to unnecessary food waste. In short: missing inventories harm the business – both financially and organisationally.

Benefits of regular inventory in hospitality

A thorough stock count costs time and effort, but it pays off. Here are the key benefits of regular inventories at a glance:

• Reduce costs: With proper inventory management, up to 20% of cost of goods can be saved. Losses from over-ordering or spoilage are reduced because you have a better grasp of actual demand.
  
• Better overview: Regular stock checks provide a clear view of all supplies at any time. You spot early where stock is missing or excess is building up before it ties up capital or spoils. Shortages in your range (e.g. a sold-out wine at the weekend) are avoided because the actual stock level is known.
  
• Early warning system: Inventory serves as an early warning system for the business. Negative trends – such as rising cost of goods or shrinkage from theft – are spotted more quickly, allowing countermeasures to be taken. Without inventory data you are “operating in the dark” and often only notice problems when it is too late. Regular inventories create transparency and certainty.
  
  

Digital inventory solutions: simple & efficient stock counting

Given the challenges described, digital inventory is gaining importance. Modern inventory apps promise considerable relief: a solution developed specifically for hospitality and hotels, such as BarBrain, can drastically reduce the inventory effort. Instead of spending hours walking through the storeroom with a clipboard, you can now count stock using a smartphone or tablet – every item from wine to cleaning supplies is conveniently recorded digitally. The result: up to 60% time savings on stock counts. At the same time, digital recording minimises sources of error: quantities and fill levels are documented precisely, with no more retrospective typing or estimating required. The data is available immediately, and shrinkage and variances become visible at once.

Moreover, it is easy to use. Multiple team members can count in parallel, completing the inventory together in record time. Over 1,000 businesses already use such digital solutions successfully – from small local establishments to large restaurant chains. They rely on dependable real-time inventory figures as a basis for decisions; unexpected losses and storeroom surprises are a thing of the past. Integration with existing POS or inventory management systems is often possible too, eliminating manual intermediate steps.

Conclusion: inventory pays off

The survey makes clear that many hospitality businesses still have catching up to do when it comes to inventory – whether in terms of frequency or method. At the same time, the findings reveal the enormous potential of consistent stock control: regular inventories protect against losses and stock discrepancies and uncover savings opportunities. The digitalisation of inventory, in particular, transforms the often-unloved counting process into an efficient routine. Those who embrace modern tools protect themselves from losses and errors whilst saving time and stress. Inventory thus evolves from a mandatory date in the calendar into a valuable management tool – and that ultimately benefits the operator directly.