Free tool
Par level calculator for restaurant inventory
A par level is the amount of an item you want on the shelf so you don't run out before the next delivery arrives. Enter how fast you use an item and how long it has to last to see its par level and how much to order today.
Par level calculator
| Par level | 22 |
|---|---|
| Order now | 13 |
The formula
- Par level = daily usage × days to cover + safety stock.
- Order amount = par level − what's on hand now, and never less than zero.
Days to cover is how long this stock has to last: from now until the next delivery you can still get arrives. If you order on Monday for a Thursday delivery, the stock on your shelf has to last until Thursday.
A worked example
A bar goes through about 6 bottles of house vodka a day. The next delivery is 3 days away, and the manager keeps 4 extra bottles for a busy night or a late truck. The count finds 9 bottles on the shelf:
| Step | Calculation | Bottles |
|---|---|---|
| Usage until delivery | 6 a day × 3 days | 18 |
| Par level | 18 + 4 safety stock | 22 |
| Order | 22 − 9 on hand | 13 |
Getting the inputs right
- Use average usage over several weeks, not one shift. A single busy Saturday will inflate the number.
- If weekends are much busier, keep a separate weekend par rather than stocking for Saturday all week.
- Keep safety stock small for perishables. Extra lettuce spoils; extra bottles wait on the shelf.
- Round up to how the item is sold. If vodka comes in cases of 12, an order of 13 bottles may really be two cases.
Reviewing your pars
Par levels drift as the menu, the season, and the team change. Look at them again after a menu change, when a supplier's delivery days change, and whenever an item keeps running out or keeps ending up in the waste log. Frequent waste usually means a par is set too high.
From counts to order lists
A par level only helps if the count is accurate and the order list matches it. Barley's inventory lets your team count stock by location from a phone, scan barcodes, and mark what needs ordering as they count, with every change recorded with who made it and when.