I'll admit, I used to pick weekend specials based on gut feeling - and it nearly killed my profit margins. Many restaurant owners randomly add extra items to the weekend menu without calculating how much they actually earn per hour. The difference between a smart choice and a costly mistake often comes down to one simple calculation.
Why margin per hour matters more than regular margin
You know how it goes: busy weekends, long queues, stress in the kitchen. Every minute counts. A dish with 40% margin that takes 20 minutes to prepare earns less per hour than a dish with 30% margin that's ready in 5 minutes.
💡 Example:
Compare these two dishes:
- Steak: €12 profit, 15 minutes prep time = €48/hour
- Pasta: €8 profit, 8 minutes prep time = €60/hour
The pasta earns more per hour, despite lower absolute profit.
Calculate the profit per minute for each dish
For each potential weekend dish, you need three numbers:
- Selling price excl. VAT - menu price divided by 1.09
- Ingredient costs - all ingredients added together
- Prep time - from order to serving
The formula is simple: (Selling price excl. VAT - Ingredient costs) / Prep time in minutes = Profit per minute
💡 Example calculation:
Caesar salad:
- Menu price: €16.50 incl. VAT = €15.14 excl. VAT
- Ingredient costs: €4.80
- Prep time: 6 minutes
Profit per minute: (€15.14 - €4.80) / 6 = €1.72 per minute
Compare all options and create a top 5
Make a list of all dishes you're considering for the weekend. Calculate the profit per minute for each one. Sort from high to low. The top 5 are your weekend candidates.
⚠️ Note:
Also factor in the time you spend on mise-en-place. A dish that serves quickly but requires lots of prep work can still earn less overall.
Test the practice: can your kitchen handle it?
The highest profit per minute doesn't help if your kitchen gets overwhelmed. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen too many restaurants pick dishes that look good on paper but create chaos during service. Check these practical points:
- How much extra inventory do you need to buy?
- Does your chef have experience with these dishes?
- Can you get the ingredients from your regular supplier?
- Does it fit your concept and target audience?
A dish that earns €2 per minute but paralyzes your kitchen will cost you more than it brings in.
💡 Real-world example:
Restaurant De Brug tested 3 weekend dishes:
- Spare ribs: €1.20/min - requires too much grill space
- Fish & chips: €1.80/min - fryer gets overloaded
- Prawns: €2.10/min - quick and fits existing workflow
Choice: prawns, even though spare ribs would be more popular.
Monitor and adjust after the first weekend
After your first weekend with the new dishes, check the numbers again. Was your prep time estimate accurate? Were the ingredient costs correct? Did it fit the workflow?
Adjust your selection based on what you've learned. Maybe you need to replace a dish, or you can shorten the prep time with smarter mise-en-place.
How do you choose the best weekend products? (step by step)
Calculate profit per minute for each dish
Subtract ingredient costs from the selling price excl. VAT. Divide this by the prep time in minutes. This gives you the profit per minute.
Create a top 5 of best earners
Sort all potential weekend dishes by profit per minute, from high to low. The top 5 are your best candidates for the weekend.
Test practical feasibility
Check whether your kitchen can handle the extra dishes without getting overwhelmed. Pay attention to inventory, suppliers, kitchen equipment, and team skills.
✨ Pro tip
Track your top 3 weekend dishes over the next 6 weekends - measure actual prep times, portions sold, and any workflow disruptions. This data will reveal which dishes truly maximize your hourly profit versus theoretical calculations.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate prep time correctly?
Measure from order to serving, including wait time at equipment. Also include mise-en-place time if you do it specifically for this dish. Time yourself during actual service, not practice runs.
What if my best dish has too much inventory risk?
Start small and build up. Begin with ingredients for 20 portions and see how it goes. Better to have too little than high waste costs.
Should I factor in labor costs for weekend specials?
Usually not, since you'll have weekend staff anyway. But if a dish requires an extra prep cook or specialized skills, include those hourly wages in your calculation.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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