How To Accurately Portion Toppings?

Pizza Shop Talk The Think Tank
1

We portion our cheese to the last drop, but portioning our toppings (with the exception of Pepperoni) has been somewhat difficult for my employees.

My question is what method of portioning (if any) does everyone use when it comes to toppings like ham, sausage, beef topping, spinach & veggies?

Thanks.

2

[quote=“Tommy”]

We use a scale for those items. Seems to me that would be the only reasonable way.

[quote]

3

Registered User,

Isn’t weighing the toppings time consuming? I was looking for a quick way of doing the portion control.

4

No, doesn’t take much time at all once you get used to it.

We use one of the scales with a “wave over” tare eye. You wave your hand - then put on the topping - then wave again - next topping, etc. Sounds time consuming, but it really isn’t once you get used to it.

I put labels on the upper and lower rails of the makeline in front of each topping indicating the amount to be put on each size of pizza. For example, there is a label in front of the bin holding a topping that reads “1 2 3” meaing that a small gets 1 ounce, a med gets 2 ounces, a large gets 3 ounces. Then anyone can do it.

5

When I managed at a Donatos they weighed each topping.
They put the pizza on a digital scale that sat on the makeline ( was 4 of these) There was a big red button on the front of the scale.
Put the pizza on , smack the red button( zeros it out)
put first topping, smack the red button and so on till cheese and everything is on. basicly as fast as topping any place else I have worked. I guess maybe a half second slower if you count the lower hand below pizza to smack button time into it hehe.

6

I wish there was a magic key I could ship to you but there isn’t one. If you want to make it ‘easy’ for your employees make up a chart that has all the weights for each topping depending on size of pizza and number of toppings then enforce the use of the scale.
They’ll bitch and complain for the first two or three weeks but then it’ll become part of their job in their minds and just do it. Your product will be more consistent and you’ll get a firm grip on inventory control.

7

We’re setting up our “wave tare” scale next week to get ourselves going that direction. Pizza makers are enthusiastic about it because they actually worry about losing money/cheating customers at the make line . . . worth their weight in gold. The scale should work right into the stream of production.

I just didn’t want to put that in at the same week we were breaking in the new kitchen and getting the feel of just making food there. I’ll let folks know how it goes in our shop next week.

8

which scale/model are you guys referring to as I’m interested in getting this done as well . . .