Performance indicators in food service: operational efficiency, margin, and productivity

Abstract

This article analyzes performance indicators in food service, focusing on operational efficiency, margin, and productivity, based on a qualitative and descriptive literature review, the investigation is grounded in the understanding that food service management requires continuous monitoring of results, since the sector involves high cost sensitivity, intense demand variation, the need for coordination among processes, and strong dependence on perceived service quality. Throughout the study, it was observed that operational efficiency is associated with the rational use of resources, the organization of routines, and the ability to convert structure and inputs into consistent results, while margin expresses the economic effects of decisions related to purchasing, production, labor, administration, and market positioning, productivity, in turn, was understood as a dimension related to the use of mobilized resources and to the balance among operational volume, execution quality, and financial return. The results indicate that these three dimensions are interdependent and form a relevant analytical basis for evaluating performance in restaurants and related operations, it is concluded that the use of indicators contributes to more accurate managerial interpretations and to more consistent decision-making in the context of food service.