What's a good margin on shared dining dishes?
A successful tapas bar might run 68% margins while a fine dining restaurant hits 78% on individual mains. The difference isn't about one being better than the o...
How do I account for cooking loss in my food cost?
A 250-gram raw ribeye shrinks to just 175 grams after grilling – yet most restaurant owners still calculate costs using the raw weight. This oversight inflates...
How do I calculate the cost of mise en place that goes...
Most kitchen managers think they know their food costs, but they're missing a huge piece of the puzzle. Mise en place like sauces, butter, oil and herbs go into...
How do I spot red flags in my numbers as a restaurant owner?
Picture this: your restaurant looks busy, staff are hustling, but your bank account tells a different story. Financial red flags in restaurants are often subtle...
How do I price a dish with market price products?
Market price products like fresh fish make pricing tricky. One day you pay €18 per kilo, the next day €25. Many restaurant owners just guess, but that costs you...
How do I determine the price of a new vegetarian dish?
Pricing new vegetarian dishes wrong can silently drain your profits for months. Most restaurant owners eyeball these prices and wonder why their margins keep sh...
How can I simplify my kitchen without losing margin?
Most restaurant owners believe a complex menu equals more profit - but that's backwards thinking. You're actually bleeding money through overcomplicated dishes,...
How do I calculate if a cheaper ingredient improves my...
Ever noticed how that "cheaper" salmon actually costs you more per plate? You pay less per kilo, but after trim loss and waste, your food cost percentage goes u...
What's the difference between purchase price and cost price?
Purchase price and cost price aren't the same thing – and this confusion kills restaurant profits. Most operators calculate food costs using invoice prices, not...
How often should you adjust your menu prices based on...
Your menu prices determine your profit, but when should you adjust them? Some restaurant owners obsessively tweak prices monthly while others ignore margins unt...
What is a normal food cost for a café with small dishes?
Food cost for café dishes typically sits between 20% and 35%, but most café owners are flying blind on their actual numbers. They're estimating ingredient costs...
How do I start simplifying my menu based on numbers?
That 45-dish menu you're so proud of might be bleeding money faster than you think. More dishes typically equals more ingredients, chaotic purchasing decisions,...
How do I start tracking my food cost every month?
Food cost tracking forms the backbone of any profitable restaurant operation. Too many owners operate blind to their actual dish costs, bleeding money without r...
How do I check if my kitchen is running better...
Most restaurant owners celebrate higher revenue while their profits quietly disappear. You're comparing last year's numbers, but are you looking at the right on...
How do I know if my lunch dishes are financially well...
Struggling with lunch profitability while your evening service thrives? Most restaurant owners mistakenly apply dinner pricing standards to their lunch menu. Un...
How do I calculate food cost when my portion sizes...
I'll admit it – managing food costs with inconsistent portions feels like trying to hit a moving target. Many restaurants serve 200 grams of steak today, 250 gr...
What's the risk of setting your menu prices by gut feeling?
I'll admit it - for years, I priced my menu items based on what "felt right" rather than what the numbers actually showed. This approach cost me thousands in hi...
How do I know if my numbers are strong enough for growth?
75% of restaurant expansions fail due to weak financials. Many restaurant owners want to expand, but don't know if their current numbers can support growth. Her...
How do I calculate the margin on delivery meals?
Picture this: your pasta carbonara sells for €19.50 in-house with a 75% margin, but the same dish delivered nets you barely 36%. Delivery orders carry hidden co...
How do I determine a realistic waste percentage per product?
Most restaurants lose €3,000-5,000 annually by ignoring food waste in their cost calculations. Setting a realistic waste percentage helps you calculate your cos...
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