Running Your FOH & BOH Effectively: How to Improve Efficiency, Service, and Profitability

Running a restaurant is all about balance. Your front of house (FOH) team is the face of your business, ensuring guests have a great experience, while your back of house (BOH) is responsible for executing dishes flawlessly. But when these two areas don’t work together smoothly, orders get delayed, communication breaks down, and customers notice.

If you’ve ever dealt with long ticket times, frustrated staff, or miscommunication between FOH and BOH, you’re not alone. The good news? A few key strategies can transform your restaurant’s efficiency, boost service quality, and increase your bottom line.

Where Most Restaurants Go Wrong

Many of the biggest FOH-BOH breakdowns stem from:

• Poor communication – Misheard modifications, unclear tickets, and last-minute changes lead to food waste and delays.
• Mismatched priorities – FOH is focused on speed and service, while BOH prioritizes quality and accuracy.
• Lack of organization – Disorganized kitchens and unclear workflows slow down service and increase frustration.

How to Fix It: Smart Strategies for FOH & BOH Efficiency

Optimize Your BOH for Speed & Consistency

• Organized prep = faster service. Batch prepping and cross-utilizing ingredients across dishes helps reduce waste and cut down on time.
• Workstation layout matters. Minimize unnecessary movement by setting up stations for efficiency.
• Standardize recipes.  Clear measurements and portioning prevent food waste and ensure consistency.

Train Your FOH for Better Service & Higher Sales

• Menu knowledge is key. Your team should confidently recommend dishes, suggest add-ons, and answer questions without hesitation.
• Upselling should feel natural. Encourage suggestive selling that enhances the dining experience (think: wine pairings, appetizers, and dessert suggestions).
• Incentivize great service. Small rewards for upselling or positive customer reviews can boost engagement and motivation.

Use Technology to Bridge the FOH & BOH Gap. The right systems can eliminate errors, speed up service, and reduce miscommunication. Consider:

• Kitchen Display Systems (KDS) to replace handwritten tickets and reduce mistakes.
• POS systems that sync with inventory to track stock levels in real-time.
• Table management software to improve flow and reduce wait times.

Real-Life Fixes That Work

We’ve helped restaurants implement these strategies with real results:

• A disorganized kitchen cut ticket times by 30% after improving workflow and communication.
• One restaurant reduced food waste by 20% by implementing better prep and inventory tracking.
• A struggling FOH team increased sales by 15% after a customized training program focused on upselling and service standards.

Foodify Can Help

If your FOH and BOH aren’t working together as smoothly as they should, you’re leaving money on the table—literally. Whether it’s streamlining your kitchen, improving service, or finding the right technology, we’re here to help your restaurant run better. Let’s make it happen.

Let’s go!