Abcom Blog: Using BI to Pinpoint COGS Leakage and Waste

In quick service restaurants (QSRs), margins are tight, and every percentage point of cost of goods sold (COGS) matters. While food and beverage costs are often the largest expense after labour, many operators struggle to pinpoint where profit is leaking. This is where Business Intelligence (BI) transforms the way operators view their business.

COGS leakage can occur for a variety of reasons—wastage, inaccurate portion control, supplier pricing discrepancies, or stock losses. Without the right insights, these issues remain hidden until they erode profitability. Traditional reporting systems often lag behind, making it difficult to act before small inefficiencies turn into major problems.

With Abcom’s integrated BI tools, operators gain real-time visibility into inventory and sales performance. Dashboards break down COGS by category, location, and time period, allowing managers to compare actual usage against expected recipe costs. Variances are highlighted, making it easy to see where food is being wasted, over-portioned, or sold below margin.

Waste reporting takes this even further, tracking stock adjustments, spoilage, and expired items. By consolidating these insights, managers can identify recurring patterns—whether it’s excess preparation during quiet shifts, incorrect stock handling, or gaps in training.

The power of BI lies not just in the data but in the speed of decision-making. Operators can take immediate action—adjusting ordering, refining recipes, or coaching staff—before losses impact the bottom line. Over time, these incremental improvements drive significant savings and healthier profit margins.

By harnessing BI to pinpoint COGS leakage and waste, QSR operators turn raw data into actionable intelligence. The result is greater control, reduced losses, and the confidence that every dollar spent on stock is generating the return it should.

With Abcom BI, protecting margins becomes part of your daily operations—not a guessing game.

Using BI to Pinpoint COGS Leakage and Waste

Running a QSR is Tough.........