Hospitality Know-how

How to Prepare for a Successful Stocktaking in Hospitality

Whether for a restaurant or hotel: regular stocktaking in hospitality contributes to your business's success. We show you what to keep in mind.

Lisa Gschnitzer

Oct 26, 2026

Hospitality Know-how

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Stocktaking is an essential part of running a hospitality business. If you carry it out carefully and accurately, you keep track of your stock, spot shortages in time, and reduce food waste.

Yet a single mistake can already impact your costs and profitability. In this article, we show you what to watch out for when taking stock in hospitality and what advantages stocktaking offers in hotels or restaurants.

Stocktaking in hospitality: The basics
Step-by-step guide to successful stocktaking in hospitality
Why you should carry out regular stocktaking
Ready for your next stocktaking in hospitality?

Stocktaking in hospitality: The basics

During stocktaking in hospitality, all existing stock of food, beverages, and other goods is recorded as of a fixed cut-off date. The result is an inventory list that contains a detailed list of all assets and liabilities by type, quantity, and value.

Even though carrying out stocktaking is a helpful tool for business success, not every hospitality business is required to do so. In principle, this only applies to companies that are required to prepare balance sheets. Depending on the country, e.g. Germany and Austria, different rules apply as to when companies become subject to balance-sheet obligations.

Stocktaking methods

There are three different methods for carrying out stocktaking in a restaurant or hotel. Depending on the size of your business, you may need all stocktaking methods.

Book inventory

This method serves to record all intangible assets and liabilities in your hospitality business, such as assets, receivables, payables, or patents and licenses. To carry out a book inventory, you use financial information and data from accounting (receipts, bank statements, etc.).

Asset inventory

With asset inventory, you record all movable tangible assets. This includes, for example, items from business equipment (stove, fryer, etc.) or the vehicle fleet in a catering service.

Physical inventory

Here, a stocktake of all tangible assets of the restaurant or hotel takes place by weighing, measuring, or counting. The results are then compared with the data from the warehouse accounting records.

Types of stocktaking

In addition to the stocktaking methods mentioned above, there are also three types of stocktaking, which differ mainly in terms of when the stock count is carried out.

Cut-off date stocktaking

In the best-known type of stocktaking, a complete stock count is carried out on a specific cut-off date. This usually takes place at the end of the fiscal year. Even though this type of stocktaking is completed on a single date, you usually need additional staff.

Sample-based stocktaking

With this type of stocktaking, the stock is determined through sampling. Before starting, approval must be requested from the responsible tax office. For implementation, certain criteria are selected for the samples. The total stock is then extrapolated using statistical methods.

This type is used exclusively in large businesses or hospitality and hotel chains, since counting all stock would not be feasible for these companies.

Permanent (perpetual) stocktaking

Here, stock is recorded continuously throughout the entire fiscal year. For example, this allows you to carry out stocktaking in your restaurant or hotel monthly or once a quarter.

Note that this requires you to keep a stock ledger (e.g. with an inventory management software) and document all incoming and outgoing stock transparently and verifiably. Uncontrollable assets, such as perishable or fragile goods, may not be recorded under permanent stocktaking.

Step-by-step guide to successful stocktaking in hospitality

No matter which method and which type of stocktaking you choose: thorough planning is key. We'll show you a guide you can follow to carry out stocktaking in your restaurant or hotel.

1. Make preparations

First, it's important that you set a date. Depending on the type of stocktaking, this may be a single date once per fiscal year, or several dates spread throughout the year.

For thorough planning, you should also create a schedule. In it, record how much time the stocktaking will take and whether your business needs to be closed during this time.

It's also helpful to include the following points in your preparations:

Choose the stocktaking method that suits your business, or a combination of methods.
Think about which tool you want to use to carry out the stocktaking: pen and paper, a spreadsheet program, or an inventory management system.
Make sure all the necessary materials are available. These differ depending on which tool you choose (e.g. printed stocktaking lists and a calculator, a tablet or laptop, etc.).
Create order in your storage area by grouping similar products, keeping spoiled goods in a separate location, or checking that all goods are correctly labeled.

2. Assign staff

After making the initial preparations, think about which and how many staff members from your hospitality business are needed for the stocktaking process. You can also record this information in your schedule.

One possible approach is to form teams of two people and divide them by area (storage, kitchen, and dining area). It's also advisable to assign an additional staff member to lead and oversee the stocktaking.

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3. Carry out the stocktaking

Now the time has come: stocktaking day is here, and the stocktaking can take place on the scheduled date with the assigned staff. To ensure the stock count runs smoothly, you and your staff should pay attention to the following points:

Whoever is carrying out the stocktaking must not know the target stock level, as this could otherwise distort the result.
Ideally, a stocktaking team consists of one person who counts and one who documents.
Define a counting method so that items aren't counted twice or forgotten, and communicate it to the staff responsible.
When measuring or weighing goods, values are rounded up or down. Make sure all staff members use the same rules for this.
During the stock count, it's advisable for the person responsible for oversight to spot-check the teams' lists.
The stocktaking record must precisely state who carried out the stocktaking, on which day it took place, and whether there were any special circumstances (e.g. spoiled goods).
Prepare separate stocktaking lists for the different areas of your business (storage, kitchen, and dining area/bar) and label them clearly (e.g. Beverage stocktaking).
If a discrepancy between the actual and target stock arises at the end of the stocktaking, it must be carried over into the profit and loss statement.

4. Value the stock

After you have recorded the entire inventory and documented it in the stocktaking list, stock valuation is carried out based on current net purchase prices. If you purchased the same item at different prices, you have two options: either calculate an average of the two prices, or list the item twice in the stocktaking list with the corresponding purchase price.

5. Use the results

Stocktaking is especially beneficial when you use the results gained from the inventory for the future. Analyze the figures from the stocktaking list, identify possible causes of discrepancies, and inform your staff about the findings. You can then work together as a team to develop appropriate measures to prevent future problems.

Why you should carry out regular stocktaking

If you follow the steps outlined above, nothing stands in the way of successful stocktaking. But what advantages does regular stocktaking in hospitality actually bring? We'll show you how stocktaking contributes to your business's success.

Regular stocktaking primarily gives you an overview of real-time stock levels and consumption in your business. This way, you can identify whether and where there are discrepancies in storage management, and reduce costs.

In the case of discrepancies between target and actual stock, you should take a closer look at the processes in your hospitality business and ask yourself, among other things: Do the delivered goods match the ordered quantities? Could theft have occurred? Were dishes not prepared exactly according to the recipe specifications?

Another advantage is that real-time stock levels always let you know how much of which goods you have in storage. This allows you to plan your purchasing better by ordering only what you actually need, while also preventing potential waste.

Ready for your next stocktaking in hospitality?

Although not every hospitality business is required to carry out stocktaking, regular stock counts are a valuable tool for keeping track of storage, controlling costs, and minimizing waste. Thorough and accurate planning in advance, along with proper execution and review of the stocktaking, can make a decisive contribution to increasing the profitability and efficiency of your hospitality business.