Which metric best measures how much beverage stock deviates from actual usage?

• A. Price realization
• B. Persistent sales growth
• C. Inventory variance
• D. Pour cost

Answer: (C)

Measuring discrepancies between expected beverage usage and what is actually on hand or used. Inventory variance captures the difference between the system-recorded stock and the physical reality, highlighting overages or shortages that result from waste, pilferage, miscounts, or ordering errors. This metric directly reveals how far stock usage diverges from expectations, making it the best choice for tracking deviations in beverage inventory.

By contrast, price realization focuses on revenue per unit, persistent sales growth tracks demand trends, and pour cost looks at the cost efficiency of serving drinks. None of those directly quantify the gap between actual usage and stock, which is why inventory variance is the most relevant measure.