As a vigilant restaurant owner, you’re probably already aware of the importance of having a food prep labeling system. The question is, does your “system” involve handwritten labels? Yikes. Don’t get us wrong, there are a time and place for calligraphy, just not in these instances. Here’s how a food preparation label printer beats handwritten labels.
It’s guaranteed clear and accurate
Your kitchen may get messy. Understandable. Your worker’s hands may get occupied. Also understandable. Though both are bound to occur in the restaurant industry, there’s a reason why (most) sous-chefs don’t have hand-lettering businesses on the side. Relying on your team’s handwriting — which likely includes varying sizes, styles, and pen choices — for pertinent information such as Best By dates is a dangerous game to play. Not to mention, employees may be forced to estimate the freshness of food products or record incorrect dates. Of course, mistakes happen, but you can significantly limit the chance of them occurring with a food preparation label printer.
With printers like those offered from PrepWizard, labels are crisp, clear, and accurate every time. Instead of scribbling for hours, your employees can print the labels they need with the correct Best By dates — whether the food items are just arriving, are being prepped, or are in production. After all, if consumer goods are required to have labels that are “clear and understandable” then why shouldn’t you hold your labels to the same standard, even if they’re just being used internally?
Labels last as long as they need to
Restaurants may be known for their crayon selection — while this is great for kids, it’s not so great for food prep labels. If a few of your employees finish labeling food items at any stage of the item’s life with a marker or pen that’s not meant to last, you’ll be forced to make guesses about the item’s freshness. This will slow down the process significantly, may cost you inventory, and, not to mention, may create opportunities for food to spoil and harm customers.
However, with a food preparation label printer, labels are guaranteed accurate and will dissolve once they’re no longer needed. PrepWizard also offers labels that can work double-time. Some options can be printed once the item is in the prep stage, with an additional section for production on the same label.
It’s more efficient
Having an employee or a team of employees peel, stick, and handwrite labels in each stage of the food preparation process is time-consuming, to say the least. Not only will you and your employees get tired of handwriting these labels with each item and each shipment, but you’ll also have to rely heavily on calendars — either mental or physical. For many people, it’s in their nature to have a hard time remembering the day of the week or month if they’re constantly busy. Needless to say, this can create a lot of issues among your inventory.
With a label printer, you can print as many or as few labels as you need in a few seconds, without the labor and tediousness. Plus, the PrepWizard system allows an unlimited number of employees to work on the system at the same time on their own capable devices (iPhone, Android, iPad, etc) with the free app.
For how our labels, printer, and (free!) app work together, here’s a quick video.
It saves you money in the (not-so) long run
It may not be immediately apparent how much you’re losing out on with handwritten labels. Not only does it take away valuable time from your employees, but you’re also having to purchase labels that may not last as well as pens or markers that may continuously get lost, run out, or not work.
With a food preparation label printer, like PrepWizard’s, you’ll have a return on investment in six months or less. You can rest assured that Best By dates are accurate and your employees are using their time effectively. The less time you and your employees spend fussing over prep, the more time you can spend ensuring that your customers are well taken care of.
