Most restaurant owners think assigning tasks after figures meetings is straightforward - just tell people what to do. But here's what actually happens: everyone nods, leaves the meeting, and a week later nothing's changed. Clear task delegation requires a systematic approach that eliminates confusion.
Why actions often get left behind
You discuss with your team that the food cost of the steak has risen to 38%. Everyone nods. A week later, nothing's happened. Why?
- Nobody knows who's responsible
- The action is too vaguely worded
- No deadline was agreed upon
- No follow-up planned
⚠️ Note:
"We need to lower food cost" isn't an action. "Sarah checks meat prices from 3 suppliers this week" is.
The SMART action method
Every action after a figures meeting must meet 5 criteria:
- Specific: What exactly?
- Measurable: How do you check if it's done?
- Achievable: Is it doable?
- Responsible: Who does it?
- Time-bound: When is it done?
💡 Example:
Problem: Carbonara food cost is 36%, needs to be 30%
- Specific: Check price of bacon, cream and cheese
- Measurable: 3 quotes per ingredient
- Achievable: Can be done in 1 week
- Responsible: Marco (sous chef)
- Time-bound: Friday 5:00 PM
The action list format
Always use the same format to record actions:
[WHO] + [WHAT] + [WHEN] + [RESULT]
💡 Example actions:
- "Lisa checks by Tuesday 12:00 PM why lettuce waste has risen to 15%"
- "Tom adjusts the steak portion size from 250g to 200g by Friday"
- "Sarah calls 3 fish suppliers by Wednesday for better prices"
Who gets which type of action?
After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've learned that distributing actions based on expertise and authority prevents confusion:
- Chef/owner: Price adjustments, supplier switches, recipe changes
- Sous chef: Portion control, waste checks, team management
- Kitchen assistants: Temperature logging, inventory counting, cleaning checks
- Service staff: Gathering guest feedback, suggestive selling
⚠️ Note:
Don't give financial actions to staff without authority. A kitchen assistant can't decide to switch suppliers.
Organizing follow-up
Without follow-up, actions get forgotten. Organize this systematically:
- Quick check: Daily 5 minutes during briefing
- Detailed check: Weekly during team meeting
- Measure results: Monthly compare figures
💡 Example follow-up:
Monday briefing:
- "Marco, did you get the quotes?"
- "Lisa, what caused the lettuce waste?"
- "Tom, how are guests reacting to the smaller steak?"
Digital tools for action tracking
Keep track of actions in a system everyone can see:
- Simple: Shared WhatsApp group or whiteboard
- Professional: Apps like KitchenNmbrs with task modules
- Advanced: Trello or Asana for larger teams
The most important thing? Everyone sees the same information and knows where things stand.
How do you organize clear actions after figures meetings?
Formulate concrete actions
Turn each problem into a specific action using the format: WHO + WHAT + WHEN + RESULT. For example: 'Sarah checks prices for organic chicken from 3 suppliers by Friday'.
Assign responsibilities
Give each action to one person, based on their role and authority. Chef gets supplier actions, sous chef gets portion control, staff get execution tasks.
Plan follow-up moments
Agree on when you'll check progress. Daily brief check during briefing, weekly detailed check during meeting. Without follow-up, actions get left behind.
✨ Pro tip
End every figures meeting by having each person state their specific action and deadline out loud. Set a 72-hour follow-up reminder to check initial progress - this catches issues before they derail the entire week.
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Frequently asked questions
What if someone doesn't complete their assigned action?
Address it directly by asking what prevented completion. Often it's unclear instructions or unrealistic timeframes. Break complex actions into smaller steps or reassign based on workload and skill level.
How many actions should I assign per person after each meeting?
Stick to 2-3 actions maximum per person per week. More than that creates overwhelm and reduces completion rates. Focus on high-impact improvements that directly affect your numbers.
Should I track completed actions for future reference?
Yes, keep records until your next monthly figures review. This lets you identify which actions actually moved the needle on food costs and margins. Use successful actions as templates for similar problems.
📚 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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