PRODANOPEDIA · WORD OF THE DAY
Par Stock
Say it: pah stok (approximate British English pronunciation)
Watch the lesson
Meaning and example
Par stock is the planned supply level needed to sustain routine operation while items are in use, being cleaned or awaiting replenishment. For cabin towels, one par is one full room allocation. A three-par plan might have one allocation in rooms, one moving through laundry and one clean reserve. The actual target must reflect occupancy, laundry turnaround, loss and the property's policy; three is an illustration, not a universal requirement.
Three views
- Crew: Know the issue quantity, count and return items accurately, and report shortages early rather than hiding them in a last-minute room setup.
- Manager: Set and review the target using real usage and turnaround. Reconcile clean, in-use and laundry stock; investigate gaps before adjusting purchasing or promising room readiness.
- Guest: A ready room has the required towels when needed. Guests should not have to understand the inventory system to receive the standard service.
Situation and action line
The laundry delivery is late on embarkation day. The crew needs towels to finish rooms. The manager checks clean reserve and expected return time, prioritises approved room allocations and escalates the shortage through the property process. “We have enough clean towels for the next release, but the laundry return is delayed. Please confirm the revised delivery time before we release the remaining rooms.”
Check your understanding
If one complete room allocation is 200 towels and the agreed level is three par, the planned total is 600 towels across all stages, not 600 clean towels sitting on shelves. The mix changes during the day.
By ProDan Media · From Dan’s operational lessons, 7 October 2026