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Basic knowledge and formulas

Learn the fundamental formulas and calculation methods for hospitality.

How do I manage fluctuating purchase prices in my food cost?

It's Tuesday morning and your supplier just raised pancetta prices by 18%. Your carbonara recipe still shows January costs while reality shifted weeks ago. Mean...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 159 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How can I tell if a dish is priced too high?

Ever wonder if that pasta dish is quietly bleeding your profits dry? A dish is priced too high if your food cost comes in above 35-40% or if your selling price...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 159 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I determine the price of a group menu?

Group dining presents unique pricing challenges that catch many restaurateurs off guard. Unlike regular service, group bookings demand different cost structures...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 158 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I calculate the cost price of a buffet in my...

I'll admit it - I used to guess at buffet pricing and wondered why my margins kept shrinking. Buffets are trickier than regular dishes because guests control th...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 158 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I handle supplier promotions in my food cost?

While suppliers regularly raise their prices due to inflation, seasons, or promotions, many restaurant owners still calculate costs using outdated figures. If y...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 157 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I calculate the cost price of a sauce or dressing...

Restaurants lose an average of €12-45 daily on untracked sauce costs alone. That tablespoon of mayo costs 15 cents, but multiply by 100 daily portions and you'r...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 157 📅 22 Feb 2026
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What's a good margin if you sell a lot through delivery...

I'll admit it — most restaurant owners mess up delivery margins completely. They forget that platforms take 15-30% commission before you even think about food c...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 157 📅 22 Feb 2026
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What's the difference between revenue and margin in...

A packed Friday night brings in €3,200, but your bank account barely budges by Monday morning. Revenue shows how busy you were, margin reveals how much you actu...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 157 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I know if my menu is financially sound?

Right now, that popular pasta dish might be costing you thousands without you knowing it. Many restaurant owners estimate their prices and unknowingly lose mone...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 157 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I calculate annual cost savings by consistently...

How much money are you unknowingly throwing away with every plate that leaves your kitchen? That extra 50 grams of pasta or additional slice of cheese might see...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 156 📅 27 Feb 2026
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How do I account for free tasting portions in my food cost?

Every free taste you hand out chips away at your profit margins without generating a single euro in revenue. Most restaurant owners track every sold dish religi...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 156 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I calculate food cost when I give away a lot to...

Free staff meals are like invisible leaks in your kitchen's financial plumbing. Your chef grabs a daily steak, servers snack on appetizers, and suddenly your fo...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 156 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I calculate the cost price of a three-course menu?

Picture this: you're pricing a new three-course menu and realize it's far more complex than calculating a single dish. Each course interacts with the others thr...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 156 📅 21 Feb 2026
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What is waste in a restaurant?

Most restaurant owners don't realize they're throwing away 10-15% of their profits every single day. Waste isn't just the moldy tomatoes you toss in the bin. It...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 156 📅 21 Feb 2026
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What's a healthy margin when working with seasonal products?

Seasonal ingredient costs can demolish your profit margins overnight. Asparagus jumps from €8/kg in May to €25/kg in July, yet most restaurant owners keep menu...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 155 📅 22 Feb 2026
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What's a good margin on a daily menu?

Your daily menu should maintain a 60-65% gross margin to stay profitable. Most restaurants lose money on their daily specials because they forget about the hidd...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 155 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I calculate what happens if my purchasing costs...

A 10% supplier price increase typically reduces restaurant profits by 3-5 times more than owners expect. Most operators underestimate how ingredient cost spikes...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 154 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I recognize from my numbers that I'm throwing...

Are your fresh ingredients disappearing faster than your sales would suggest? Most restaurant owners notice food hitting the trash but can't quantify the real d...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 153 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I communicate price increases without losing...

Every restaurant owner faces this moment - your costs have jumped 15% this quarter, but your menu prices haven't budged. You're bleeding money while worrying th...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 153 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I know if I'm earning enough per covered table?

Picture this scenario: your dining room's packed every night, but your profit margins keep shrinking. Revenue per covered table reveals the real story behind yo...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 153 📅 21 Feb 2026
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