Stock numbers don’t lie – they tell you exactly how your business is running behind the scenes. Long before complaints, cashflow issues or GP% drops show up, your stock results highlight the operational habits shaping your profit.
When you know how to read them properly, stock numbers become one of the most reliable sources of operational insight in hospitality.
Below are the areas your results are already telling you about.
- Team Discipline and Consistency
Stock results show whether your team follows agreed processes.
If variances jump between audits, you’re seeing inconsistency – usually in:
- Portion control
- Pouring standards
- Line cleaning routines
- Wastage logs
- Use of the EPOS system
A tight GP% reflects a team working the same way, every shift. A noisy GP% usually signals different habits depending on who’s on duty.
What this tells you:
Training, supervision and accountability need strengthening.
- Quality of Operational Controls
Recurring variances highlight gaps in basic controls.
Your numbers may be pointing to:
- Deliveries not checked properly
- Incorrect prices on invoices
- Old cost prices still in use
- Stock stored in poor conditions
- Equipment issues (beer temp, yield loss, faulty measures)
- Missing wastage entries
These aren’t financial problems – they’re operational ones that slowly drain profit. Fixing them early protects GP% and cashflow.
What this tells you:
Your systems are not being used consistently, and you’re losing money in everyday processes.
- Efficiency of the Back-of-House Operation
Stock results reveal how well your kitchen, cellar or bar is organised.
Common signals include:
- High food variances → prep inconsistency or unclear recipes
- Poor yield on draught → line cleaning or cellar temperature issues
- Frequent write-offs → poor date rotation
- Sudden spikes in variance → short staffing or rushed shifts
Your numbers show where pressure points are affecting operational flow.
What this tells you:
There’s inefficiency somewhere – and it’s costing more than you realise.
- Accuracy and Trustworthiness of Your Data
If your stock numbers don’t match what you see on the ground, the data feeding your system is wrong.
Examples include:
- Till buttons not mapped correctly
- Menu changes not updated
- Delivery notes missing
- System prices out of date
- Transfers not recorded
These create misleading results that hide real operational problems.
What this tells you:
Decisions are being made on data that isn’t reliable. That creates bigger risk down the line.
- Leadership Visibility and Site Culture
Stock results also reflect leadership behaviours.
When sites know their numbers are reviewed, explained and followed up on, results improve.
When audits are ignored, variances repeat.
Patterns we regularly see:
- Sites with engaged GMs consistently perform better
- Teams who understand “why” behind the numbers raise standards
- Sites with no follow-up often show the same issues month after month
What this tells you:
Your culture around accountability needs work — and your numbers are showing it.
- How Much Money Is Slipping Through the Gaps
Your GP% is only one part of the picture.
Looking at trends across periods tells you:
- How much loss is preventable
- What products drain the most money
- Which shifts or teams pull GP% down
- How seasonal changes affect performance
This isn’t data for data’s sake – it’s early warning for profit leakage.
What this tells you:
There is money to be recovered, saved or redirected.
Where Capcon Fits In
At Capcon, we turn those stock numbers into clear, simple insight.
Our audits and Nifty19 reporting show you:
- What’s happening
- Why it’s happening
- What to do next
- Which actions will deliver the most improvement
Because stock results shouldn’t just tell you a story – they should guide your decisions.
If you want to understand what your numbers are really saying about your operation, our team can help you translate them into stronger GP%, smoother processes and more confident managers.
To speak with the team, contact us.
