Par Level Calculator
Enter how much of an item you use in a day, how many days until the next truck, your safety stock, and what is on the shelf. You get the par and how much to order.
In the unit you order in: lbs, cases, each. Pull it from the last 2 to 4 weeks.
Days from this delivery to the next one.
Extra cushion for a busy night or a late truck. Same unit as daily use.
What you counted on the shelf and in the walk-in.
- Par level
- 64
- Days the current count lasts
- 1.22
How I use this on a Friday
I don't treat par like a number you set once and forget. When I look at par levels, I'm looking at what we're actually using, what day of the week it is, what's coming up, and what keeps getting thrown away. Friday's par shouldn't automatically be Monday's par. Too low and you're scrambling during the rush, borrowing from another store, or telling a customer you're out. Too high and you're tying up money in inventory and eventually throwing product in the trash. The calculator can give me the number. My job as the GM is deciding whether that number makes sense for my restaurant. That's the part experience teaches you: par isn't about having the most product on the shelf. It's about having enough, without paying for product you don't need.
K. Pinckney, restaurant GM and founder of WRI
The math
Par is average daily use times the days between deliveries, plus safety stock. Order amount is par minus what you have on hand. If you already have more than par, you order zero.
Example: You go through 18 lbs of chicken breast a day. The truck comes every 3 days and you keep 10 lbs as safety stock. Par is 18 x 3 + 10 = 64 lbs. You count 22 lbs in the walk-in, so you order 64 - 22 = 42 lbs.
Questions operators ask
What is a par level?
The amount of an item you want on hand right after a delivery so you make it to the next one without running out. You order up to par, not a fixed amount every time.
How do I figure out average daily use?
Take what you used over the last 2 to 4 weeks and divide by the days you were open. Use the same unit you order in. If weekends run much heavier, figure a separate weekend number.
How much safety stock should I keep?
A commonly cited range is about half a day to one day of usage. Go higher on items that run out often or come from a vendor who is late a lot. Go lower on anything with a short shelf life.
Should par be the same every day of the week?
Usually not. A Friday delivery has to cover a busier weekend than a Monday delivery covers. Run the calculator with the usage for the days that delivery actually covers.
What if I have more on hand than par?
The order comes out to zero. If you keep landing above par on the same item, your par is probably too high and that product is heading for the trash.
How often should I update pars?
Look at them whenever the menu changes, the season changes, or you see the same item running short or getting tossed. Many operators review them every month or so.