DECA Restaurant Management Performance Indicators

Explain the nature of regulations affecting food establishments

Know key food industry laws and health codes.

Describe liability issues in food establishments serving alcohol

Understand legal responsibility for serving alcohol (must be lisenced)

Describe the nature and scope of government agencies that oversee the food industry

Identify main agencies like FDA and USDA and what they regulate.

Discuss local regulation of food establishment

Recognize county/state health department rules.

Identify food-safety guidelines/requirements

Recall basic sanitation and food handling standards (using gloves, washing hands, cleaning equipment)

Provide table service

Serve customers professionally and efficiently.

Provide beverage service

Follow correct procedures for drinks and refills.

Identify customer dynamics affecting food establishments

Understand how customer attitudes affect business.

Describe strategies for managing customer dynamics

Use communication and service techniques to handle customer behavior.

Discuss the use of make-or-buy analysis in food establishments

Decide whether to prepare or purchase food items.

Describe factors influencing make-or-buy decisions

Consider cost, time, and quality when choosing.

Calculate food product unit costs

Find the cost per ingredient/unit.

Calculate food product total cost

Compute full recipe or batch cost.

Calculate standard recipe yield measure

Determine how much product a recipe produces.

Calculate per plate costs

Find cost of one serving.

Calculate per person buffet/salad bar costs

Estimate average serving costs for self-serve meals.

Explain factors that influence customer selection of food places and menu items

Recognize what drives food choices (price, taste, atmosphere, etc.).

Explain the role of restaurant management systems

Understand software used for orders, inventory, and sales.

Discuss online reservation systems

Know how digital booking systems work.

Utilize restaurant management system application

Use POS or scheduling apps effectively.

Describe system integration challenges in restaurant management

dentify issues linking multiple tech systems.

Assess trends affecting food preparation

Note current cooking or kitchen trends.

Evaluate trends affecting food presentation

Recognize plating and serving style trends.

Analyze trends in food habits/preferences

Track what foods customers currently prefer.

Discuss the role of personal hygiene in food safety

Keep clean to prevent contamination.

Identify personal health conditions that affect food safety

Recognize when illness can spread to food.

Demonstrate proper hand-washing technique

Wash correctly to remove germs (at least 20 seconds with soap)

Use proper work attire

Wear uniforms, gloves, and hair restraint

Follow safety precautions for lifting/moving materials

Prevent injury while handling supplies.

Comply with policies and procedures for handling bodily fluids

Follow cleanup and safety protocols

Explain the relationship between personal safety/sanitation and allergen exposure

Keep safe to avoid cross-contact.

Explain procedures for handling robbery situations

Know what to do during emergencies.

Identify restaurants’ hazardous chemicals/waste

Recognize dangerous materials in kitchens.

Label/store restaurants’ hazardous chemicals/waste

Keep chemicals labeled and stored safely.

Describe strategies for responding to biohazard incidents at restaurants

Handle spills and exposure properly.

Identify physical hazards

Spot risks like wet floors or sharp tools.

Assess fire hazards

Check for potential fire risks.

Identify fire prevention strategies

Know how to reduce fire risk (don´t keave flammable substances out, blow out candles, don´t let anything get into outlets, don’t smoke in no designated areas)

Identify equipment safety requirements

Follow safe equipment operation rules. (Having a fire extinguisher)

Analyze the cause of accidents

Investigate how workplace incidents happen.

Describe the nature and scope of HAACP food safety system

Know how HACCP prevents contamination.

Identify methods/practices used to control/eliminate food contamination

Use cleaning and cooking controls.

Monitor food temperatures

Check temps to keep food safe.

Monitor consumer self-service food stations

Ensure buffets are sanitary.

Mark/label foods properly

Label food containers with key info

Store foods properly

Keep items at correct temps.

Identify critical control points

Find stages where contamination risk is high.

Identify biological hazards

Know bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

Identify potentially hazardous foods (PHF)

Recognize foods that need time/temp control.

Identify time and temperature control for food safety (TCS)

Maintain safe time/temp limits.

Identify temperature danger zone (TDZ) foods

Know the unsafe range (41–135°F).

Adjust equipment/workstations to prevent cross-contamination

Organize kitchen to separate raw and cooked items.

Identify quality-control measures in food establishments

Set standards for product consistency.

Utilize quality control methods in food establishments

Check and maintain quality daily.

Identify factors affecting wait time

Recognize what slows down service.

Describe strategies for managing table turns

Speed up seating without rushing guests.

Dispose of food and food by-products

Follow safe disposal procedures.

Distinguish among cleaning, sterilizing, and sanitizing

Know differences in disinfection levels.

Label cleaning/sanitation solutions

Clearly mark chemicals.

Follow sanitization procedures

Use correct sanitizing steps.

Mix cleaning/sanitation solutions

Prepare them safely and correctly (Don’t mix acids and bases)

Determine cleaning requirements

Identify what needs cleaning and how often.

Identify signs of pest infestations

Notice droppings, holes, or damage.

Describe pest control strategies

Use prevention and extermination methods.

Set up and maintain commercial equipment/machines

Operate and upkeep machines.

Break down commercial equipment/machines

Safely disassemble for cleaning.

Discuss the nature of restaurant property management

Manage building, repairs, and maintenance.

Identify factors influencing food and beverage purchasing decisions

Consider price, quality, and demand.

Identify sustainability factors affecting the purchase of food and nonfood products

Choose eco-friendly options.

Identify alternative sources for food products

Find backup suppliers.

Maintain inventory levels

Keep stock balanced to meet demand.

Describe strategies to minimize the cost of maintaining inventory

Avoid overstock and waste.

Determine inventory shrinkage

Calculate lost or missing stock.

Identify common sources of food loss

Note spoilage or prep waste.

Describe strategies for reducing food loss

Reuse, portion control, and better storage.

Identify waste management opportunities at restaurant

Improve recycling and sustainability.

Differentiate among segments of the culinary and foodservice industry

Identify full-service (Nice dine in resturant places), quick service (Fast food), catering (Places you order food from for events), etc.

Discuss types of table service

Compare American, French, buffet, etc.

Identify types of food service in different segments

Match service style to restaurant type.

Identify domestic cuisines

Recognize U.S. regional foods.

Identify international cuisines

Know major global dishes.

Identify cuisines common to different regions

Identify cuisines common to different regions

Identify food requirements applicable to special populations

Learn dietary needs (gluten-free, vegan).

Explain the nature of pathogens

Know what causes foodborne illness.

Identify types of harmful bacteria

List Salmonella, E. coli, etc.

Identify types of viruses

Know Norovirus, Hepatitis A, etc.

Identify types of parasites

Recognize Trichinella, Giardia, etc.

Identify types of fungi

Identify molds and yeasts.

Identify types of toxins

Know natural and chemical toxins.

Identify foodborne illnesses and their causes

Link pathogens to diseases.

Identify conditions affecting bacterial growth

Time, temp, pH, moisture, etc.

Identify common food allergies

List nuts, shellfish, dairy, etc

Identify common food intolerances

Recognize lactose or gluten intolerance.

Describe consequences of exposure to food allergens

Explain allergic reactions.

Describe consequences of exposure to food intolerances

Explain digestive effects.

Discuss strategies for preventing exposure to food allergens

Prevent cross-contact.

Describe strategies for preventing bacteria multiplication in food

Use proper cooking/storage temps.

Describe effect of water characteristics on food safety/sanitation

Hardness/purity affects cleaning.

Describe effect of food pH levels on safety/sanitation

Low pH reduces bacteria growth.

Describe effect of moisture levels on food safety/sanitation

Less water = less bacteria.