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- Strong Systems, Calmer Kitchens 📦⚙️ | MLK Day Reflections
Strong Systems, Calmer Kitchens 📦⚙️ | MLK Day Reflections
On MLK Day, I’ve been thinking about the dignity of work and the systems that either support it or get in the way. In restaurants, stress is rarely a motivation problem. Most teams care deeply.

Hello Fellow Foodies!
This week’s prompts focus on the operational fundamentals that quietly shape every service. Inventory control, prep discipline, and kitchen flow are not the most visible parts of the business, but they are the difference between calm shifts and constant recovery.
With today being Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it also feels appropriate to pause and reflect. Dr. King spoke often about dignity in work, fairness in systems, and the importance of building structures that allow people to do their best work consistently. Strong operations do exactly that. They reduce unnecessary stress, create fairness across teams, and give people the space to show up fully for one another and for guests.
The prompts below are designed to help you build those systems. Practical, repeatable, and grounded in the realities of running a restaurant.
Let’s dig in👇
AI Spotlight: Inventory & Supply Management 📦📊
Where margins quietly live or die
If inventory feels like a constant game of catch-up, you’re not alone. Most restaurants don’t have an inventory problem. They have a visibility problem.
This week’s prompts are designed to help you move from reactive ordering to intentional control. Not with theory. With practical systems you can actually run during service.
Inventory Optimization Prompt
Build a system instead of chasing fires
Copy and paste this prompt into your AI tool. Attach recent inventory or POS reports for best results.
Prompt:
“Design an inventory system with optimal par levels, reorder points, storage organization, and waste tracking using these inputs:
• Current tracking method: [manual/digital system used]
• Frequent stockouts: [items that run out during service]
• Over-ordering problems: [items with high waste]
• Storage constraints: [refrigeration, freezer, dry storage limits]
• Ordering frequency: [how often you order from vendors]
• Cost control goals: [target food cost percentage]
Return the proposed inventory system as a clearly structured report with labeled sections for:
• Par levels
• Reorder points
• Storage plan (refrigeration, freezer, dry storage)
• Waste tracking (high-waste items and procedures)
• Monitoring schedule (daily and weekly)
• Vendor management (vendors and ordering cadence)
• Notes and recommendations.”
Why this works:
This forces the system to think in operational blocks, not spreadsheets. You get a playbook your team can actually follow.
Waste Reduction Analysis Prompt
Turn leaks into line items you can fix
If you’ve ever said “I know we’re wasting money, I just don’t know where,” this one is for you.
Prompt:
“I’m losing approximately $[amount] per month to food waste. My biggest waste sources are [describe main causes].
Create a waste reduction plan with specific tracking methods and accountability measures.”
Tip:
Run this monthly. Waste creeps back quietly when no one is watching.
Vendor Management Prompt
Buy smarter without burning relationships
Most operators inherit vendor relationships. Very few actively manage them.
Prompt:
“Improve my vendor relationships and purchasing power using these inputs:
• Current vendors: [list main suppliers and what they provide]
• Ordering challenges: [late deliveries, quality issues, pricing problems]
• Payment terms: [current payment schedules]
• Order volumes: [weekly or monthly purchasing amounts]
• Quality standards: [specific product requirements]
Provide actionable vendor management strategies, including negotiation tactics, backup supplier planning, quality control protocols, and cost optimization opportunities. Recommendations must be grounded in the provided procurement context.”
Reality check:
Good vendors respect operators who come prepared with data and clarity.
AI Spotlight: Kitchen Operations & Workflow 🍳⚙
Speed without chaos
A slow kitchen is rarely a talent issue. It’s almost always a flow issue.
Kitchen Efficiency Analysis Prompt
Shorter ticket times start upstream
Attach recent sales or ticket-time reports if you have them.
Prompt:
“Redesign and optimize this restaurant’s kitchen workflow to eliminate delays, reduce ticket times, and improve consistency.
Current average ticket time: [current minutes]
Target ticket time: [target minutes]
Identified bottlenecks: [list specific problems].”
Use this when:
You’re busy but not smooth. Or fast sometimes and underwater other times.
Prep Schedule Optimization Prompt
Prep with intention, not panic
Prompt:
“Optimize my prep schedule and procedures using these inputs:
• Daily prep requirements: [items needing daily prep]
• Available prep time: [hours and staff available]
• Storage limitations: [shelf life and refrigeration constraints]
• Service volume patterns: [busy and slow days]
• Current prep challenges: [running out, over-prepping, inconsistency]
Create comprehensive prep schedules with optimal quantities based on sales patterns, storage procedures, and shelf-life management.”
Hidden benefit:
When prep becomes predictable, stress drops across the entire kitchen.
Why AI Isn’t Replacing Affiliate Marketing After All
“AI will make affiliate marketing irrelevant.”
Our new research shows the opposite.
Levanta surveyed 1,000 US consumers to understand how AI is influencing the buying journey. The findings reveal a clear pattern: shoppers use AI tools to explore options, but they continue to rely on human-driven content before making a purchase.
Here is what the data shows:
Less than 10% of shoppers click AI-recommended links
Nearly 87% discover products on social platforms or blogs before purchasing on marketplaces
Review sites rank higher in trust than AI assistants
Why This Matters Right Now
Inventory, prep, and workflow are not glamorous. They are foundational.
When these systems are tight:
• Food cost stabilizes
• Service smooths out
• Managers stop firefighting
• Teams trust the process
AI doesn’t replace experience here. It amplifies it by forcing structure, clarity, and consistency.
Use these prompts. Adapt them. Rerun them quarterly.
That’s how quiet wins compound.
🧠 If you enjoyed this week’s deep dive, forward it to someone in your restaurant who wants to fully grasp AI. They’ll thank you later.
Your slightly self-deprecating, definitely human narrators,
Anicia & Shane
Please let us know you feel we did with this edition: |

