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What is SmartPrep?

Jessie Leiber
Updated

SmartPrep turns your sales forecast into a daily prep plan so your kitchen knows exactly what, when and how much to prep.

It connects forecasting, prep lists, checklists and labeling into one system, so prep is consistent, trackable and based on real demand.

 

👉 Join the waitlist to get early access

 

Article Contents

 

How SmartPrep helps

Many kitchens are still guessing. Prep too little and you’re 86’ing mid-service. Prep too much and you’re throwing profit away. SmartPrep replaces guesswork with clarity.

With SmartPrep, you can:

  • Prep the right amount every time based on real demand
  • Reduce waste and surprise 86’s
  • Standardize prep across shifts and locations and see what’s done in real time

It’s the difference between reacting during service and walking in prepared.

 

SmartPrep is a strong fit if you:

  • Manage prep across shifts or multiple locations
  • Struggle with over-prepping or running out mid-service
  • Want more consistency and accountability in your kitchen

 

How it works

SmartPrep brings the moving parts of prep into one clear daily workflow.

  • It all starts with your sales forecast, helping your kitchen understand what to prep for the day ahead. 
     
  • SmartPrep turns that plan into organized prep lists and checklists your team can actually use during service prep.
     
  • As tasks get completed, managers can quickly see what’s finished, what’s still outstanding, and where follow-through may be slipping.
     
  • For food safety and organization, SmartPrep also helps carry prep decisions through to execution by connecting to a label printer to print dissolvable labels with prep details and expiration dates based on recipe shelf life.


With SmartPrep, you can:

  • Turn sales forecasts into daily prep plans
  • Create prep lists by role, station or location
  • Build recurring checklists so critical tasks don’t get missed
  • Track what was completed, by whom and when
  • Print prep labels with expiration details to support food safety and FIFO
  • Bring more consistency to prep across shifts and locations

 

A note on label printing

  • SmartPrep integrates with the Zebra ZD411 label printer, making it easy to print dissolvable prep labels as work is completed.
     
  • Label printing helps your team stay compliant and organized by generating labels with prep details and expiration dates based on recipe shelf life. Once your printer is set up, staff can quickly print labels during prep or directly from recipes.

     

What SmartPrep setup looks like

Getting started with SmartPrep is straightforward. Most teams can get up and running in a few key steps:

  1. Set up your kitchen device(s) to prep for your digital prep and checklists
  2. Upload your first prep list add your prep expiration date and pars
  3. Schedule prep lists by day, time and location
  4. Set up a compatible label printer to print dissolvable labels with prep details and expiration times

Once that’s in place, your team can start completing prep tasks, following checklists and printing labels in one connected workflow.

 

Purchasing SmartPrep

SmartPrep will be available for $95/month per location. It’s currently rolling out in phases.

To get early access:

  1. Go to the SmartPrep page in MarginEdge website
  2. Click Join the waitlist
  3. Submit your contact information

You’ll be notified when early access is available for your account.

 

Common Questions

Is this only for large kitchens?
Nope! Any team that wants to reduce waste and improve consistency will benefit.

Do I need Forecasting set up first?
Sales forecasts are already being calculated for your account. If you currently forecast outside of MarginEdge, you can import your forecast. 

Do I need to set up Recipes first?
No need to have recipes built out already. When you start to build your prep lists, we’ll guide you through uploading or creating recipes that you can finalize ahead of your first scheduled prep event.

What if my prep changes daily?
SmartPrep was built with that in mind! Once your prep forecast generates (after 1-2 weeks of tracking your on-hand vs. pars), SmartPrep adjusts with your forecast so your plan stays relevant.

 

Prep with confidence 💪

No more guessing. No more last-minute scrambling. SmartPrep helps your team walk into every service knowing exactly what to do.

👉 Join the waitlist to get early access