5-Minute Inventory Leak Audit Checklist

Why Day 3 Matters

For the next 12 days, we’re giving you a series of “profit gifts.” But if we don’t know where you are now, we can’t measure what they fix.

Today’s job is simple:

“We need to measure where you are now so every gift moving forward actually fixes something.”
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This worksheet is Step 1 of a multi-step process: you establish a clear baseline today, then use the next 11 resources to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

Most operators skip this. They add tools, software, and SOPs without a starting line, so no one can tell if anything worked. Day 1 solves that.

Day 1: You set your profit baseline.
Day 2: You found COGS and variance red flags.
Day 3: You go from numbers on a sheet to problems on the floor.

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The truth:
Your P&L doesn’t show you open cases sitting in the hallway, half‑used product in trash bags, or bartenders “eye‑balling” pours.

“These leaks don’t show up on paper — but they show up in your operations. This checklist exposes them.”

The checklist turns invisible, day‑to‑day sloppiness into a clear list of issues you can actually fix.

This is for you if:

You run restaurants, bars, or hospitality venues (single or multi-location)

You’re an owner, CEO, CFO, COO, VP Ops, or Group F&B responsible for profit

You suspect money is leaking in COGS, waste, and variance but can’t see exactly where

You care about automation and AI only if it clearly ties back to profit and control

Not for people looking for generic “holiday marketing ideas.” This is about operations and profit.

See How Operators Win with WISK

What’s Inside the 5-Minute Inventory Leak Audit Checklist

In one focused pass, you’ll:

You run restaurants, bars, or hospitality venues (single or multi-location)

You’re an owner, CEO, CFO, COO, VP Ops, or Group F&B responsible for profit

You suspect money is leaking in COGS, waste, and variance but can’t see exactly where

You care about automation and AI only if it clearly ties back to profit and control

Not for people looking for generic “holiday marketing ideas.” This is about operations and profit.

Use this as a quick walk‑through guide for your kitchen, bar, or storeroom:

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You’ll check for:

Receiving leaks
- No one verifies counts against invoices
- No process for logging damaged or missing items
- Deliveries left unattended or uncounted
Storage leaks
- Product stored in the wrong place or wrong temp
- Open containers, no labels, no FIFO in practice
- High‑value items not secured or tracked separately
Prep & line leaks
- Portion sizes not standardized or followed
- Prep sheets missing, outdated, or ignored
- Staff “winging it” instead of using recipes
Bar & bev leaks
- No jiggering or pour control on key items
- Freebies, “comps,” and staff drinks not tracked
- Bottles and kegs without consistent starting / ending counts
Process & accountability leaks
- No clear owner for counts, ordering, and variance follow‑up
- No written SOPs for inventory and receiving
- No consistent cadence for spot checks

You tick boxes as you go and end with a simple “leak score” per venue so you can see who’s tight and who’s loose at a glance.

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How to Use It Today

To get the most from Day 1, have this ready:

Latest P&L (last full month or last 12 months)

POS summary for sales by category (food, bev, etc.)

Any internal COGS / inventory reports you already use

If you’re missing something, don’t overthink it. Fill in what you can now. You can refine later.

Print or pull up the checklist on your phone.
Choose one venue to start with (don’t wait for “the perfect day”).
Walk through receiving, storage, prep, and bar areas.
Check off what you see in 5–10 minutes.
Circle the 3 biggest leaks to tackle over the next week.

This is not a three‑hour audit. It’s a fast reality check.

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How Day 3 Fits Into Your 12-Day Journey

In one focused pass, you’ll:

You run restaurants, bars, or hospitality venues (single or multi-location)

You’re an owner, CEO, CFO, COO, VP Ops, or Group F&B responsible for profit

You suspect money is leaking in COGS, waste, and variance but can’t see exactly where

You care about automation and AI only if it clearly ties back to profit and control

Not for people looking for generic “holiday marketing ideas.” This is about operations and profit.

Day 1: Baseline your profit.
Day 2: See where profit is leaking in COGS and variance.
Day 3 (today): Find the real‑world behaviors causing those leaks.
Day 4: You’ll learn why your team can’t fix these problems alone and what’s missing from your workflows.

You’re moving from “numbers” to “root causes,” which sets you up to actually fix them when we add systems and automation later in the 12 days.

To get the most from Day 1, have this ready:

Latest P&L (last full month or last 12 months)

POS summary for sales by category (food, bev, etc.)

Any internal COGS / inventory reports you already use

If you’re missing something, don’t overthink it. Fill in what you can now. You can refine later.

DOWNLOAD NOW

In one focused pass, you’ll:

You run restaurants, bars, or hospitality venues (single or multi-location)

You’re an owner, CEO, CFO, COO, VP Ops, or Group F&B responsible for profit

You suspect money is leaking in COGS, waste, and variance but can’t see exactly where

You care about automation and AI only if it clearly ties back to profit and control

Not for people looking for generic “holiday marketing ideas.” This is about operations and profit.

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Want Us To Walk Through Your Baseline With You?

See How WISK Would Work in Your Business. In a short live demo, we’ll:

Show how invoices, inventory, and purchasing all connect in one place
Highlight where your current process is leaking time and margin
Map what a simple 2026 rollout could look like for your venues

We’ll walk you through the platform, answer your questions, and you decide if it makes sense to move forward.