Restaurant logistics are a key to these retailers’ success. Poor logistics means ingredient shortages, stale food, higher costs, and more. So, restaurants really need to get their logistics and supply chain management right. 

As Joseph O’Reilly reports for Inbound Logistics: “In many ways, the restaurant industry is defined by paradoxes. Consumers want quality food at affordable prices. Product freshness is a must, regardless of seasonal variability. Cost and customer service come bundled — not à la carte. On the supply side, menu selection competes with supplier selectivity. Restaurants demand sourcing reliability and consistency, when Mother Nature is nothing if not fickle. Beyond that, restaurants want replenishment fast. Consumers want orders faster. ‘What you want is what you get’ and ‘Have it your way’ aren’t simply slogans. They are expectations. So when consumer and market pressures pull restaurants in different directions, the supply chain logically becomes a platform for leveraging these opposing challenges to find shared gains.”

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