Pars, plainly: how much to keep on hand without tying up cash

1What a par actually is

Think of a par as a target line on the shelf. When you count below it, you order back up to it. A good par answers one question: how much of this do I need to cover demand until the next time I can get more? That's usage between deliveries, plus a little cushion for a busy day — nothing more mystical than that.

2The two ways pars cost you money

Too high is the quiet one. Every extra case you carry is cash converted into something perishable. It ties up money, it takes up space, and for fresh product it walks straight into the waste bin when it turns before you sell it. A walk-in that's always full feels safe and is quietly expensive.

Too low is the loud one. You run out mid-service, 86 a dish, disappoint a table, and send someone on an emergency supplier run at a worse price. It's obvious the moment it happens — which is why most kitchens overcorrect into carrying too much.

3Set a par from real usage, not a gut number

The honest way to set a par is to look at how much you actually go through. Take your usage over a normal stretch, break it down to a daily rate, multiply by the days between deliveries, and add a safety cushion for your busiest day. That's your par.

4Let pars move with demand

A par isn't a stone tablet. Your Tuesday and your Saturday don't use the same amount, and your summer and winter menus don't either. A par that never changes is either too high half the week or too low the other half.

Do this: revisit pars when the menu changes, when a season turns, or when you notice you're consistently over- or under-ordering an item. Sales-weighted pars — set from what actually sells, not a flat average — keep the cushion where it's needed and trim it where it isn't.

5Counting is what keeps pars honest

A par is only useful if you know where you stand against it, and that means counting. You don't need a marathon inventory session — a quick, regular count of the items that matter most tells you what to order and, over time, whether your pars are still right. The count is also what reveals the gap between what you should have used and what you did (that's variance, the place waste and over-portioning hide).

The payoff is real and quick: tightening pars on your fresh, fast-moving items frees up cash and cuts spoilage without ever risking an 86 — usually within a delivery cycle or two of paying attention to the numbers you already generate.