What is the best practice for stocking flavor syrups at the start of a shift?

• A. Place new stock in front.
• B. Check inventory, rotate stock with older items in front, place new stock behind, and label with dates.
• C. Only stock new items.
• D. Leave shelf empty.

Answer: (B)

Rotating stock so older syrups are used first, with new stock placed behind them and clearly dated, keeps flavors fresh and reduces waste. This first-in, first-out approach ensures that opened bottles are used before they time out or lose flavor, which is especially important for syrups that can degrade over time after opening. Labeling with dates gives the team quick visibility of when a bottle was opened or received, helping maintain consistent drink quality and making it easy to retire anything past its usefulness.

Placing new stock in front can hide older bottles, increasing the chance they’re used last or forgotten and eventually wasted. Stocking only new items ignores the inventory already on hand, causing gaps or mismanagement. Leaving the shelf empty would disrupt service and force delays.