Operational Excellence (OP-X™) is our leading-edge, proprietary food production system designed to ensure best practice consistency of quality, portion control, and kitchen safety. The OP-X™ standards of excellence are based on the accreditation standards of the ACA and our experience in the corrections industry. Created by ACS and subsequently instituted across all of ARAMARK, OP-X™ is a detailed training, compliance, and documentation tool that ensures employees and offender workers are correctly trained in food service processes.

Our commitment to outstanding service is driven by OP-X™, a best practices roadmap that features state-of-the-art processes, systems, and training programs to ensure consistency, quality, and inmate satisfaction. Every food service worker, including every offender worker, knows his or her precise responsibility at every step of the process using OP-X™ roadmaps.

ACS recognizes that a food service program significantly affects a facility’s overall operations, impacting costs, staff allocation, security, offender behavior and litigation. Food quality and operational consistency are the hallmarks of a well-run kitchen. Food quality drives inmate acceptance, minimizing unrest, grievances and litigation. Operational consistency drives inventory efficiency, minimizes waste, controls portion size and ensures standards are met.

OP-X™ documentation and safe food-handling protocols minimize time and effort dealing with food-related grievances and potential litigation. With OP-X™, every meal is monitored for consistency and quality, and audited after service to ensure compliance. Documentation is compiled following each meal, and an actual meal sample is stored in the event of litigation.

OP-X™ is more than just a process – it is a commitment that ensures every single meal is right, every single day.