Question:
I have a commissary kitchen for three fast-casual concepts within a block of one another. I am opening another location of two of these concepts across town, about 15 minutes away. I am debating whether to have my existing commissary serve all five locations, or start a second one (the new locations have a big kitchen space).
Any advice?
- A Restaurant owner
Answer:
The main advantage of having your kitchen as close as possible to your service line is freshness-something is lost the further production happens from consumption. Without knowing too much about your menu, the first question to ask is: Does anything need to be prepared entirely on-site for product quality? For example, signature element of your concept is fresh-fried warm doughnuts or made-to-order omelets, that menu simply can't transition well to a commissary model. However, since you are already using a commissary, I assume your concepts work. In that case, I thin you would be much better served by investing in your single commissary rather than duplicating efforts.
There are a few advantages to consolidating your production to a single commissary if you have the capacity:
Saving on skilled labor.
A single point person or responsible party (production manager or chef).
Product consistency.
Savings on equipment/ build out.
Economies of scale in producing more units.
Easier purchasing, receiving and inventory management
Increased job task specialization.
There are two big disadvantages- transportation expense and increase risk of time-temperature abuse. In general, the savings on labor and equipment from forgoing the second kitchen justify the expense of a vehicle, driver and holding equipment to safely transport the food among your locations. One key concern is keeping that food at the proper temperature. You should have HACCP plans-and they are required by most municipalities for these cases-showing how the food will be safely transported and temperatures maintained.
Comments