Measuring up - How to Select Scales for a Restaurant

Weighing a piece of chicken, beef or pork is a pretty simple process. Just place the portion on the scale, and either read the digits or see where the needle lies, and you've got your weight. It's not exactly rocket science, and even if you're off a little bit, it probably won't matter in the grand scheme of things, right?

Not exactly. As it turns out, there's a bit more to weighing than first meets the eye, and if you're not paying attention, using the right tool, and taking care of that tool, it could be costing you more than you think.

Scale Basics

Scales serve two primary functions in the restaurant business, and are generally classified as either receiving scales or portioning scales. Receiving scales are used to verify the weight of food and items delivered to the restaurant to ensure you haven't been "shorted." Portioning scales are used to ensure that portion sizes are kept consistent -- neither too little (bad for the customer) nor too much (bad for you).

Although they perform the same primary functions, scales come in three basic types: beam balance, spring or mechanical portioning scales, and digital or electronic scales. A beam balance uses an arrangement of levers (beams) and movable weights to compare the item being weighed with that of a known quantity. While considered by some to be outdated technology, beam balance scales -- considered specialty scales -- are still widely used in the baking world, and are often found among the ranks of scales used in better culinary institutions.

A mechanical portioning scale measures the compression or expansion of a spring in response to the weight of the portion placed on the scale. As the spring compresses, the motion is mechanically transferred to the rotary movement of a needle, which moves along a calibrated face to indicate the weight.

A digital scale uses "load cells" that translate the pressure produced by the portion to an electronic signal proportional to the weight. An electronic chip does the math to convert the electrical signal to a number shown on the display, and provides the features offered by the particular design.

While all three types of scales can do the job within their specified weight range, the features and benefits of each can make one scale or another a much better choice for your kitchen.