FIFO (First In, First Out) can reduce your waste by 30-50% by systematically using your oldest products first. Think of it like a busy subway platform - the first passengers on must be the first ones off, or the whole system backs up. Many kitchens lose hundreds of euros monthly because they place new stock in front of old stock.
Why FIFO directly affects your profit
Waste from incorrect stock rotation costs restaurants an average of 4-8% of their turnover. With an annual turnover of €400,000, this means €16,000-32,000 per year in wasted food.
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 80 covers/day, 6 days/week:
- Waste without FIFO: €150/week
- Waste with FIFO: €75/week
- Savings per year: €3,900
That's almost €4,000 extra profit per year.
The biggest FIFO mistakes in kitchens
Three mistakes cause 80% of all FIFO problems:
- New stock in front: Cooks place fresh deliveries at the front of coolers, burying older products
- No date labels: Staff can't tell what arrived when
- Scattered storage: Identical products spread across multiple locations
⚠️ Note:
FIFO only works if your entire team participates. One person ignoring the system ruins the whole stock rotation.
The practical FIFO system
A working FIFO system has four components:
1. Date stickers on everything
Stick a label with the receipt date on every package. Use a color code for each day of the week (Monday = blue, Tuesday = red, etc.). This way you can see at a glance what's oldest.
2. Fixed locations per product
Each ingredient gets one fixed spot in your cooler. New stock always goes behind existing stock. No exceptions.
💡 Example cooler layout:
Meat (bottom shelf):
- Left: chicken fillet (oldest in front)
- Middle: beef tenderloin (oldest in front)
- Right: pork tenderloin (oldest in front)
New deliveries always go behind existing stock.
3. Daily FIFO check
Every morning, one person checks all products for expiration. Anything expiring today or tomorrow must be used today. Make this a daily 10-minute routine.
4. Team training
Train your entire team in the system. Everyone must know: always grab the front product, always put new stock in the back. Make this part of your onboarding process for new staff.
FIFO for different product groups
Fresh products (1-3 days shelf life)
Fish, ground meat, fresh herbs: use within 24-48 hours. These products get priority in your menu planning.
Refrigerated products (3-7 days shelf life)
Meat, dairy, vegetables: standard FIFO system with date stickers and fixed locations.
Dry stock (weeks/months shelf life)
Pasta, rice, canned goods: apply FIFO here too. Old stock in front, new in back.
💡 Example planning:
Monday check: fish expires Wednesday
- Monday: fish on daily menu
- Tuesday: fish in pasta special
- Wednesday: last fish in soup
This way you use everything on time without waste.
Track FIFO digitally
Paper lists get lost and forgotten. Digital tracking works better because you:
- Get alerts before products expire
- Keep an overview of your entire inventory
- Have data to plan purchasing better
From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen how tools like KitchenNmbrs can automatically alert you to products expiring soon. This prevents things from being forgotten.
Measure your FIFO success
Track weekly how much you throw away. Weigh your waste and note its value. A good FIFO method reduces this by 30-50% within a month.
💡 Example measurement:
Week 1 (before FIFO): €180 waste
- Week 2: €150 waste (-17%)
- Week 3: €120 waste (-33%)
- Week 4: €90 waste (-50%)
Savings: €90 per week = €4,680 per year
Set up FIFO system (step by step)
Buy date stickers and color code
Order colored stickers (7 colors for days of the week) and waterproof markers. Create a chart showing which color goes with which day and hang it in the kitchen.
Assign fixed locations to each product
Make a map of your cooler and storage. Give each product a fixed location. Label the shelves so everyone knows where things belong.
Train your team in the system
Explain to everyone: new stock always goes in the back, old stock in front. Always grab the front product. Make this part of your daily routine.
Start daily FIFO check
Assign one person per day for the FIFO check. They check all expiration dates and determine what must be used today.
Measure and improve weekly
Weigh your waste every week and note the value. Analyze what's still going wrong and improve the system step by step.
✨ Pro tip
Check your walk-in cooler every 72 hours and move any products expiring within 2 days to a designated 'use first' shelf at eye level. This visual cue ensures your team grabs these items first during busy service.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
How much time does FIFO take per day?
A good FIFO routine takes 10-15 minutes per day. The daily check takes 10 minutes, properly storing new deliveries takes 5 minutes. This saves you much more time than searching for products or replacing them.
What if my team doesn't follow the FIFO system?
Make FIFO part of your daily routine and check it regularly. Explain how much money waste costs. Often it helps to make one person responsible for the FIFO check.
Should I also apply FIFO to dry stock?
Yes, dry products like pasta, rice, and canned goods can spoil too. They have longer shelf lives, but the principle remains the same: old stock in front, new in back.
How do I prevent products from being scattered across multiple locations?
Give each product exactly one fixed location and label it clearly. If you need more space, expand that one location instead of using a second location.
What's the best way to label products for FIFO?
Use colored stickers for each day of the week - Monday blue, Tuesday red, etc. Write the delivery date clearly on each package. This creates an instant visual system your whole team can follow without thinking.
How do I handle products with the same expiration date?
Use the delivery date as your tiebreaker, not just the expiration date. The product that arrived first should be used first, even if both expire on the same day.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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