Definition
Restaurant inventory is the physical count of all food, beverages, and consumables on a reference date, carried out to determine the actual value of goods on hand and to quantify shrinkage.
Background & relevance for restaurant operators
Legally, § 240 of the German Commercial Code (HGB) requires at least one inventory count per year for businesses subject to accounting obligations. In practice, many hospitality businesses conduct monthly counts to monitor food cost and shrinkage on a timely basis. Common methods: reference-date inventory (all stock on a fixed date, requires a brief operational pause), perpetual inventory (rolling counts of specific product groups, no full stop), and sample inventory (statistically validated partial count under § 241 HGB). Valuation follows FIFO — older stock is treated as consumed first. The inventory value forms the basis for the actual goods cost: Goods cost = Opening stock + Purchases − Closing stock. Note: statutory requirements referenced apply to German law.