In recent weeks, headlines have been dominated by a new government proposal suggesting that large restaurant chains may soon be required to report the average calorie intake of their customers. While the details are still under consultation, the direction is clear: nutritional transparency is no longer just a ‘nice to have’ – it’s becoming a core expectation. For restaurants and hospitality operators, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity.
Whether it’s to meet emerging reporting standards or to satisfy increasingly health-conscious consumers, being able to clearly track and communicate what’s in your menu is fast becoming essential. But for many operators, especially those running multi-site estates, that’s easier said than done.
If you’re still relying on spreadsheets, manual stock checks, or scattered recipe records, now is the time to take a closer look at your systems.
1 Start With Clear, Accurate Recipe Data
Before you can share any calorie or nutritional information, you need to be confident in the data behind your dishes. That means knowing the precise ingredients, quantities, and preparation methods for every menu item. This information isn’t just crucial for calorie calculation, it underpins everything from allergen compliance to cost control.
Top Tip: Use an intelligent recipe builder that automatically calculates calorie and nutritional values as you go. This saves time, improves accuracy, and ensures you’re always working with the most up-to-date data.
2 Centralise Your Menu and Stock Management
Juggling multiple systems – or worse, disconnected spreadsheets – can lead to confusion, duplication, and errors. Having a single platform that connects your menu management, stock levels, ordering, and supplier data gives you a complete picture of what’s happening across your business. It also makes it easier to produce the kinds of reports you might need in the future – whether for compliance or internal decision-making.
Top Tip: Look for software that links your stock usage directly to your recipes, so you can see how changes in your menu impact purchasing, wastage, and margins in real time.
3 Build for Flexibility, Not Just Compliance
While calorie data may be the current focus, it’s likely that future requirements could include broader health or sustainability metrics such as allergen information. Being able to adapt your reporting as standards evolve will be a major advantage. Systems that offer automation, real-time updates, and easy customisation are far more future-proof than rigid tools or paper-based processes.
Top Tip: Don’t just think about what you need to report today – choose tools that will grow with your business as expectations (and regulations) shift.
Polaris Quantum: Built for Hospitality, Ready for What’s Next
Quantum as a powerful, all-in-one platform to support hospitality teams with exactly these challenges.
Launched in 2022 and built around real feedback from operators, Quantum combines menu management, stock control, procurement, and reporting in a single, easy-to-use system.
With Quantum, you can:
- Build and cost recipes with built-in calorie and allergen data
- Automatically generate spec sheets for staff training, customer queries, or compliance needs
- Track orders, deliveries, waste, and stock across multiple sites
- Adapt menus in real time and monitor performance at both dish and site level
- Create detailed, compliance-ready reports with just a few clicks
It’s already making a difference. Gary Willison, Operations Manager at Portobello Pub Co, says:
“Quantum has helped us streamline our process, minimising wasted time. The interface is simple and intelligent. The onboarding and support teams have exceeded our needs – we’d recommend Quantum to any operator wanting complete accuracy.”
Change is coming-but with the right systems in place, restaurants can embrace it with confidence. Whether it’s new data requirements, customer expectations, or internal pressures to streamline, there’s a smarter way to manage your menus.
By investing now in the tools that bring your recipes, stock, and reporting into one platform, you won’t just be ready for what’s next – you’ll be ahead of it.
Ready to learn more? Call us on 0203 198 8000 or visit the Quantum page.
