How to Staff School Kitchens

Properly determining staffing levels not only ensures fair workloads but also prevents labor costs from surpassing the revenue generated, which avoids operating in the red.

Since no two school kitchens are exactly alike, production methods, facility design, serving lines, cashier stations, and menu complexity all influence labor needs. For example, a kitchen that prepares meals from scratch and washes reusable trays and silverware typically requires more labor than a convenience food production system that relies on commercially prepared foods and disposable service ware. Because of these differences, school nutrition professionals use industry benchmarks to measure workload and evaluate average efficiency.

One of the most widely used approaches was developed by Dorothy Pannell-Martin and Julie Boettger in School Food and Nutrition Service Management for the 21st Century. Their work introduced Meal Equivalents (MEQs) and Meals Per Labor Hour (MPLH), two measures that continue to help programs evaluate staffing and productivity.

What Are MEQs?

Meal Equivalents (MEQs) convert all meals and a la carte sales into a common unit equal to the labor required to produce one reimbursable lunch. MEQs represent the total workload performed in the kitchen each day, not just number of lunches served or enrollment.

What Is MPLH?

Meals Per Labor Hour (MPLH) measures labor productivity. MPLH helps determine if the workload supports the number of labor hours scheduled. MPLH is based on average times for task completion and industry acceptable production methods used in school kitchens across the nation.

Why Efficiency Matters

Efficiency is not about working harder. It is about making the best use of available labor hours.

If MPLH falls below the recommended benchmark range, there are generally two ways to improve it:

1. Reduce labor hours.

2. Increase participation.

   
   

The second option is often the better long-term solution.

Every team member plays a role in increasing participation through customer service, food quality, food presentation, speed of service, marketing promotions, and positive interactions with students. When more students choose school meals, workload increases and labor hours are supported by the additional revenue.

Use Benchmarks as a Guide

Schools should generally operate reasonably close to the recommended MPLH ranges for their production system. However, it is unrealistic to expect every school to fall exactly within the benchmark range. When a site's MPLH is significantly above or below the recommended range, further analysis is warranted.

If MPLH falls well below the benchmark range, review:

• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)

• Recipe instructions

• Production methods

• Participation

• Daily and weekly task schedules

  
  

Every recurring task should have written instructions and an estimated time required for completion. Without clearly defined procedures and expectations, it becomes difficult to identify inefficiencies or provide training.

If MPLH is significantly above the benchmark range, employees may be operating very efficiently—or they may be stretched too thin. In these situations, evaluate workload expectations, service quality, employee fatigue, and whether additional labor hours may be justified.

The Lunch Box (Chef Ann Foundation) notes that elementary schools are often highly productive, reinforcing that benchmarks should be used as a management tool rather than a rigid staffing standard.

The number of labor hours actually needed can be calculated based on Average Daily MEQs / Desired MPLH Range. The number of hours can be split between the number of people needed based on the number of serving and cashier stations. It is important to go through this process because MEQ workload determines hours needed, not size of school or lunches served.

Measure. Compare. Analyze. Improve.

MEQs and MPLH are not intended to determine whether a program is "good" or "bad." Instead, they provide a common industry standard for measuring workload, evaluating efficiency, tracking trends, and identifying opportunities for improvement. The goal is to understand where you are today and determine where you can improve tomorrow.