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Inventory Management

Control costs with AI-powered food planning 

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Reduce your food costs by 3-5% with predictive AI

On average, food costs are 35% of revenue for multi-unit restaurants. Crunchtime provides the real-time information you need to understand your on-hand inventory and stay ahead of your costs. In the 2025 Restaurant Growth Insights Report, operators ranked better inventory management and waste reduction as the top area where technology is most helpful during economic uncertainty. From suggested ordering to suggested prep, and from waste tracking to menu profitability, our platform helps restaurants take back control of their inventory and boost their bottom line.

AI-driven recommendations tell you exactly what to order

Crunchtime tells you exactly what to order, so teams spend less time calculating and more time executing. Using real-time data—from PAR levels and on-hand inventory to historical consumption and sales forecasts—the system suggests the right quantities every time. The result is lower waste, tighter control of COGS, and a more scalable operation that stays consistent as you grow.

To make this process even more efficient, you can automate purchasing and receiving, giving your managers more time to focus on running a seamless shift.

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AI-forecasting keeps your kitchen ahead of food prep 

No more surprise rushes or wasted product. Crunchtime's AI forecast recommends exactly how much to prep throughout the day, helping kitchens stay prepared without overproducing. The result is less waste, better freshness, and smoother execution every shift. 

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Save 30+ hours per month on inventory

Eliminate manual invoice entry, spreadsheet tracking, and time-consuming reconciliation—Crunchtime automates and streamlines every part of inventory. From counts and ordering to reconciliation, your restaurants can reclaim hours every month and run inventory more efficiently at scale.

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Analyze inventory data store-wide

In the 2025 Restaurant Growth Insights Report, operators ranked better inventory management as the most significant impact of tech-driven systems on managing operations. Immediately start tracking and measuring your costs, sales, variances, inventory on-hand, and more. Whether you need a report on a single store, or nationwide, Crunchtime’s dashboard provides the above-store reporting and metrics that your team needs to drive strategic decisions across your operation. 

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Learn how top brands like Five Guys, Jersey Mike’s, and sweetgreen use Crunchtime to achieve ops excellence.

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“Thanks to Crunchtime, the time it now takes to do inventory has been cut in half.”

Bryan Myers
CIO 
City Barbeque

Read the case study

 

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Inventory Management FAQs

Can above-store teams access inventory reports across multiple store locations?

Users with approved access can easily generate any above-store report they need, including reports by region, district, or single store. With Crunchtime, your team can easily track any performance metric and analyze data across multiple stores, including net sales, sales forecasts, food costs, variances, and more.

When our kitchen preps an item, will Crunchtime move the raw ingredients to finished goods?

Yes! If you prep an item like vegetable soup, Crunchtime will automatically move all the items that go into the soup from inventory to finished goods on the shelf. This allows for more accurate and timely inventory tracking.

How does Crunchtime reconcile invoices?

Managers can use the reconciler mobile app to easily receive vendor orders at the point of delivery. By scanning shipments as they arrive, items are automatically entered into inventory, and managers can quickly check goods and solve any discrepancies with the invoice or shipment.

How are suggested order amounts calculated?

We start with the current on-hand quantity of an item. That amount is then subtracted from either a static or dynamic par level, which stems from consumption patterns and upcoming sales forecasts. The resulting value is then compared against delivery dates to provide the optimal quantity needed to ensure stock will be replenished before it runs out. 

Can Crunchtime manage inventory for scratch kitchens?

Yes! Tracking waste and food costs for scratch kitchens is typically more nuanced but it can be very effective with the right software. Crunchtime tracks individual ingredients during recipe creation and identifies food waste, to help scratch kitchens reduce their actual versus theoretical food variance.