Where the money leaks
Thirty pence on lemons. A third cream rise in a year. A short delivery with no credit note. None of it is visible on its own — then GP drops at month end and nobody can say why.
02The checklist
At the back door (goods-in)
- Count and weigh against the delivery note, not the order. Note shortages before signing.
- Probe chilled deliveries and record it — 8°C or below per GOV.UK, or your HACCP limit if stricter.
- Frozen goods arrive frozen solid — no signs of thaw and refreeze.
- Check use-by dates; refuse or credit short-dated stock.
- Watch for substitutions in brand or pack size.
- Store promptly, oldest at the front.
At the desk (invoice)
- Match every price to the agreed price list or last quote.
- Match invoiced quantities to what was signed for, including shortages.
- Confirm credit notes arrived and were applied — chase the missing ones.
- Check for duplicate invoices and unagreed delivery or small-order fees.
- Compare pack sizes — a steady price on a smaller pack is a price rise.
- Log every price change before filing.
The price-change log
Change % = (new − old) ÷ old × 100 · Weekly impact = (new − old) × units per week
| Item | Old → New | Change | Units/wk | Impact/wk | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Double cream | £7.20 → £7.90 | +9.7% | 10 | £7.00 | Re-cost panna cotta & sauces |
| Rapeseed oil | £28.00 → £31.50 | +12.5% | 2 | £7.00 | Get a second quote |
| Lemons | £18.00 → £19.80 | +10.0% | 1 | £1.80 | Accept and monitor |
Total: £15.80 a week — about £820 a year — with no menu price change. When a price rises: re-cost every affected dish, ask the supplier for the reason in writing, get a comparison quote, review the spec, and only then look at menu prices.
04The query email
1. Invoice, item, charged price vs agreed price.
2. Change or error? If a change: effective date, reason, credit note for the overcharge.
3. Credit for any short delivery.
4. Name, restaurant, account number.
Log the send date. Chase after a week. Withhold payment on the disputed line if your terms allow.
05How Chef's Intelligence checks them
"Build me an order for the weekend based on 240 covers and what I've got in stock."
"Score my suppliers this month on price, reliability and quality."
It flags increases, calculates the impact, lays it out like the log and drafts the query email. It's not an accountant, and it only knows the prices you give it — keep your agreed price lists handy.
06Questions
How do you check a supplier invoice?
Quantities against the signed delivery note, prices against the agreed list, shorts and returns against credit notes. Check pack sizes and extra fees, then log price changes.
What temperature for chilled deliveries?
8°C or below per GOV.UK guidance — or tighter if your HACCP plan says so.
How do I respond to a price increase?
Log it, work out the weekly cost, re-cost affected dishes, ask for the reason in writing, get a comparison quote — then decide: switch, re-spec, or reprice.
Zone 05
Suppliers & Finance · 5 skills · £29/mo
Ordering, GP, invoices, supplier scorecards and stock. Full Suite £89/month.