Finish inventory
before service.

Before Köniva, inventory looked like it always has. Someone standing there with a clipboard, or carrying a handheld device tied to an app. The biggest difference now is that we're hands-free. It speeds up the process, improves accuracy, and brings technology into what's traditionally been a very old-school routine. Our younger managers and staff are comfortable with tech, so the system feels intuitive rather than something they have to fight.

I had reservations. I run a large, aspirational restaurant that already operates with a dozen technology platforms and integrations, and every new system is another potential point of failure and another thing for managers to maintain. My concern was that Köniva would become "one more thing." In practice, it's been the opposite. It runs quietly in the background and actually feels like we've eliminated steps instead of creating new ones.

Inventory is faster now, and honestly, it's cooler, which sounds funny but it matters. Teams are more likely to embrace processes that feel modern. More importantly, it gives time back, which in restaurant operations is probably the most valuable commodity we have. The counts move more efficiently, the workflow is cleaner, and managers can spend more time leading people instead of pushing paper.

My advice to another GM considering it: think less about inventory and more about management bandwidth. Most of us aren't looking for another app. We're looking for fewer repetitive tasks and fewer opportunities for mistakes. If a piece of technology can simplify an old process and give your managers even a little bit of time back every week, it's worth paying attention to. Köniva has done that for us.

Prior to Köniva, inventory at the Lobster Shop would take two employees 10+ total hours of counting and auditing to finish a session. Having 12 years of bar management experience under my belt, I've explored a multitude of different systems and programs that promised to cut down the time needed for an accurate inventory session. Nothing held up, and I lost hope of finding something that would replace the traditional pen-and-paper process that I'd grown to accept.

When Emily and her team approached me about using our restaurant as a test location for their brand-new inventory system, I was very skeptical. Still, the idea of a tailor-made program that utilized advanced AI technology intrigued me.

After each inventory session with Köniva, we saw fewer labor hours needed and fewer errors in the final count. Our total beverage inventory session now takes under 3 hours and can easily be done by one person. Time that was once spent combing over pages of inventory sheets is now freed up, and fluctuations in beverage product cost on our P&Ls have been eliminated.

I have introduced every friend of mine who works in hospitality management to Köniva. The incredible results our restaurant has received from this cutting-edge product are also being felt at every restaurant that tries it out. It's hard to express how impressed I am, and I would highly recommend trying Köniva if you're looking to take your inventory management to the next level.