Your beverage margins stay accurate only if you account for every broken glass and the liquid inside it. That wine glass costs €3.50, but the 15cl of wine inside adds another €2.70 to your loss. Most bar managers skip this calculation and wonder why their profits don't match their projections.
What exactly is breakage?
Breakage covers all damage to glasses, bottles, and dishware during service. This includes:
- Glasses that fall while pouring
- Glasses that break while clearing tables
- Bottles that break during transport
- Damage caused by guests (knocking over, dropping)
Most bars see 2-5% of glasses break monthly. Busy venues can hit 8%.
How do you calculate breakage costs?
Breakage has two components: the glass and whatever drink it contained.
💡 Example calculation:
A wine glass falls with 15cl of red wine in it:
- Wine glass: €3.50
- Red wine (15cl from €18 bottle): €2.70
- Labor time to clean up (5 min at €15/hour): €1.25
Total breakage cost: €7.45
Calculate breakage percentage
Track monthly glass breakage to determine what percentage you need to build into drink prices.
Breakage % formula:
Breakage % = (Value of broken glasses + drink / Total beverage revenue) × 100
💡 Example monthly calculation:
Bar with €25,000 beverage revenue per month:
- 15 wine glasses broken: €52.50
- 8 beer glasses broken: €24.00
- Lost beverage: €85.00
- Cleanup time: €45.00
Total: €206.50
Breakage: €206.50 / €25,000 = 0.83%
Factor breakage into your drink prices
After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've learned that breakage percentage must be added to your target pour cost.
Adjusted pour cost = Normal pour cost + Breakage %
⚠️ Note:
Many bars calculate only beverage costs (20-25% pour cost) but ignore breakage. This makes margins appear higher than reality.
Reduce breakage
You can't eliminate breakage, but you can minimize it:
- Buy quality glasses: Slightly pricier but stronger glasses break less frequently
- Train staff: Proper carrying and table clearing techniques
- Cleanup protocol: Immediate cleanup prevents others from stepping on glass
- Quiet moments: Don't rush during pours
💡 Practical tip:
Maintain a breakage log. Record what broke, timing, and cause. After a month you'll spot patterns: does damage spike during rushes? With specific staff? At certain hours?
Breakage tracking tools
Food cost calculators can add breakage as a 'loss percentage' to beverage costs. The system automatically includes this in pour cost calculations, so selling prices reflect reality.
You can also set different breakage percentages for each glass type. Wine glasses break more often than heavy beer mugs.
How do you calculate breakage in your beverage costs? (step by step)
Track breakage for a month
Note every time a glass breaks: which glass, what was in it, and what the costs are. At the end of the month, add everything up: glasses + lost beverage + cleanup time.
Calculate your breakage percentage
Divide your total breakage costs by your beverage revenue for that month and multiply by 100. This gives you the percentage you need to add to your pour cost.
Factor breakage into your prices
Add the breakage percentage to your target pour cost. If you normally use 22% pour cost and have 1% breakage, calculate with 23% for your selling prices.
✨ Pro tip
Track breakage patterns during your busiest 4-hour weekend shifts - that's where 65% of damage occurs. Focus extra attention on glass handling during these periods to cut breakage by 35%.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Was this article helpful?
Frequently asked questions
Should I include VAT in the breakage calculation?
No, calculate excluding VAT. Glass and beverage cost prices exclude VAT, so breakage calculations should match. Alcoholic beverages carry 21% VAT.
What is a normal breakage percentage?
Quiet wine bars typically see 0.5-1% breakage. Busy cocktail bars can reach 2-3%. Anything above 3% signals structural service problems.
Should I charge guests for glasses they break?
That's a policy decision. Many establishments avoid this for guest relations. That's why building breakage into standard prices matters.
How do I prevent staff from not reporting breakage?
Make clear that breakage is normal and won't affect wages. Focus on learning from patterns, not punishment. Open culture yields accurate numbers.
Should I use different breakage percentages for different drink types?
Yes, that makes sense. Wine glasses break more than beer mugs. Cocktail glasses cost more than standard glasses. Measure by type and adjust percentages accordingly.
How often should I recalculate my breakage percentage?
Review breakage monthly and adjust quarterly. Seasonal changes, new staff, or menu updates can shift breakage patterns significantly.
Do I track breakage for bottles that break before opening?
Yes, unopened bottles that break during storage or transport count as breakage. Track these separately since they don't include cleanup labor costs.
📚 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.
Calculate your cocktail costs down to the ml
Drink margins seem high, but spillage and free pours eat them up. KitchenNmbrs calculates the exact cost price of every cocktail and drink. Try it free.
Start free trial →