Introduction

The purpose of this report is to analyze the operations, specifically the inventory management, of the restaurant Bahama Breeze of Wayne, New Jersey. As a group we want to understand how Bahama Breeze manages their inventory and what techniques they use to improve their overall production and quality. After interviewing manager Kimberly A Azateca and analyzing the functions of inventory management, we hope to develop recommendations and suggestions for the company to improve any areas that we feel are not performing to the highest standards.

Company Background 

Bahama Breeze is a subsidiary of Darden Restaurants, the world’s largest full-service restaurant and was founded in 1996. It opened its first location in Orlando, Florida and now operates over 30 restaurants nationally. Most locations are located in suburban areas and near tourist attractions, such as shopping malls. Other subsidiaries of Darden Restaurants include Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, and Eddie V’s.

Bahama Breeze is unlike any other restaurant and provides its guests with a unique atmosphere and experience. They are known for their unique Caribbean inspired food, handcrafted tropical drinks, and vibrant atmosphere. Bahama Breeze provides the feeling of a Caribbean escape where guests are invited to “Feed Your Island Spirit”. Bahama Breeze is a Caribbean escape for their guests where they are welcomed by warm and cheerful employees. They take pride in serving their team members, guests, partners and communities by staying true to their company’s principles. Bahama Breeze eight principles include respect and caring, learning and teaching, integrity and fairness, energy, fun, excellence, diversity, and balance, and they incorporate these principles into the company’s overall style and mission.

A core value of Darden Restaurants is diversity and it is built into each of their restaurants. Diversity can be found in the Darden’s large workforce of 150,000 plus employees and in more than 300 million guests they serve annually. Bahama Breeze promotes and celebrates diversity in their company, not only because it is the right thing to do, but also because it is important to the future of the business. Each restaurant of Darden's is unique with their own personality and crafted brand. The menu, decor, team training, and even the advertising are all important aspects to crafting a unique brand that will leave an impression on guests.

The Restaurant Industry

 The restaurant industry is a highly competitive industry. Competitors of Bahama Breeze include Applebees, Houlihans, Friday’s, and Chilis. With approximately 970,000 restaurant locations, employing 12.9 million people, with 632 billion sales, the restaurant industry is constantly growing. This industry is one of the most diverse industries in the country and it employs more minority managers than any other industry. The restaurant industry is also always in demand for new hiring positions and offers great opportunities for people in need of employment.