Inventory in hotel bars and restaurants - efficient, precise, flexible

Whether a 5-star hotel with à la carte service or a business hotel with a breakfast buffet and minibar - the requirements for inventory management and stock control in a hotel are complex. Between the hotel bar, restaurant kitchen, banquet area and minibar, a large number of items have to be moved, consumed and reordered every day. A clean, regular inventory in the hotel bar and hotel restaurant is essential in order to maintain an overview and control - and this with a wide variety of requirements, staff structures and locations. A digital solution like BarBrain brings order to the system - quickly, easily and adaptable to any hotel structure.

What makes stocktaking in a hotel so challenging

Hotel gastronomy is special in many ways:

• Many storage locations: spirits in the bar, snacks in the breakfast area, wines in the cellar, ingredients in the kitchen, drinks in the minibar - often spread over several floors or buildings. Each department must be considered separately and properly recorded during digital stocktaking in hotel operations.
• Diverse product types: Whether fresh food, frozen goods, spirits, soft drinks, coffee specialties or consumables - the stock list is long. Then there are non-food products such as glasses, paper straws or cleaning tabs. Without a systematic solution, it's easy to lose track.
• Fluctuating demand: Hotel occupancy, seasonality and events (e.g. weddings, conferences) influence the consumption of goods on a daily basis. Spontaneous peaks meet stockpiling - only those who know what is actually in stock can plan reliably.
• Transparency for controlling & chain: Documented inventory figures are mandatory, especially for hotel groups or franchise operations. The kitchen and bar inventory in the hotel must be documented in a verifiable and comprehensible manner for the head office, accounting department or franchisor.

The problems of classic inventories in hotels

Anyone who still works with pen, paper and Excel lists knows the typical weaknesses:

• Paperwork & manual errors: transposed numbers, illegible notes, duplicate entries - the error rate is high with paper inventories.
• Unstructured processes: In many companies, each department counts for itself - but there is no central overview. Nobody knows exactly what is available "in total".
• No overview with multiple locations: For hotel groups or franchise operations, it is almost impossible to compare or merge all warehouses digitally - especially if each branch maintains its own Excel system.

How BarBrain supports hotel businesses with stocktaking

BarBrain is a digital inventory software that has been specially developed for catering businesses - including the complex F&B sector in hotels. Instead of scanning or laborious reconciliation, you use a simple app that allows you to record quantities directly using +/- buttons or sliders.

What BarBrain offers you in the hotel:

• Recording via +/- widget or slider: quick and easy - no need to type in long quantities or scan barcodes. Ideal for opened bottles, partial packs or single items.
• Individually customizable storage structure: You can map the kitchen, bar, breakfast storage, minibar or banquet area as separate counting areas. This ensures a clear overview - even with multiple locations.
• Offline-capable - ideal for warehouses without a network: Count even in the wine cellar or cold store. BarBrain works without the Internet and automatically synchronizes the data later.
• Branch structure integrated: If you have several locations, you can record each unit individually and evaluate them centrally at the same time - perfect for small hotel chains or hotel groups.
• Ready for immediate use: no training required. Your team can get started straight away - ideal for changing staff in shifts.

Advantages for operational management, purchasing and controlling

BarBrain brings structure and efficiency to your hotel business:

• Less shrinkage: regular stocktaking reveals losses - whether due to breakage, spoilage or shrinkage in the minibar.
• Planning security when purchasing: Clear stock levels help you to reorder in a more targeted manner - no more overstocking of rarely used items.
• Relief for your team: No more Excel overload, no more inventory nights just before the month-end closing. Your employees count faster and more accurately.
• Reliable figures for management: Clean inventory as of the reporting date - ideal for passing on to accounting, tax consultants or the head office.

"We have two bars here - one in the castle and one in the retreat. With the volume we have to manage here, we used to spend six to eight hours on inventory. That was cruel - nobody liked doing it," explains Kevin. With the introduction of BarBrain, the smart inventory app for the hospitality industry, everything has changed for Kevin and his team. Thanks to the app, the entire process is not only faster, but also much more motivating for the employees. "Now we can do the whole thing in two to three hours, and that's the beauty of it. This app is brilliant because it motivates the employees to do the inventory again," says Kevin from Schloss Elmau enthusiastically.

Conclusion: Digital inventory for your hotel - start now with BarBrain

Whether you're a boutique hotel with breakfast and a minibar or a chain hotel with a bar and its own restaurant - with BarBrain, you can master your inventory more easily, quickly and transparently. Reliable digital stocktaking in the hotel restaurant and bar relieves your employees, protects against shrinkage and ensures clean figures in purchasing and controlling.

Try BarBrain now for free and experience how easy stocktaking in hotels can really be - no scanning, no stress.