? Knowledge base category

Basic knowledge and formulas

Learn the fundamental formulas and calculation methods for hospitality.

When is your margin on a dish too low?

Your dish margins decide if you're making money or slowly going broke. Most restaurant owners can't tell when their margins hit dangerous levels. You might be h...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 141 📅 21 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I set a food cost target per restaurant category...

Restaurant owners often struggle with setting uniform food cost targets across their entire menu. A pizzeria operates efficiently at 25% food cost, but fine din...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 140 📅 27 Feb 2026
Read more →

What's the risk if you don't know your food costs?

A popular bistro sold 50 steaks daily at €28 each, with the owner believing he earned €8 profit per steak. Reality? His actual profit was €5.19 less per portion...

⏱️ 4 min read 👁️ 140 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I read a P&L statement as a hospitality business...

A P&L statement reveals whether your restaurant generates profit or bleeds money. Most hospitality owners get these reports from their accountants but can't dec...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 140 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I make sure my prices keep up with higher...

Nearly 60% of restaurants fail to adjust menu prices within 6 months of supplier increases. This silent margin erosion happens gradually - you're earning less p...

⏱️ 4 min read 👁️ 140 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I start mapping out my complete menu?

Over the past five years, menu mapping has become the cornerstone of profitable restaurant operations. Most restaurant owners track what their dishes generate,...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 139 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I handle free water or bread in my margins?

Free water and bread seem costless, but they impact your margins. Many restaurant owners don't factor these costs into their prices, unknowingly giving away pro...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 139 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How can I implement small price increases while...

Are you watching your profits shrink while ingredient costs climb higher each month? Many restaurant owners delay price increases because they fear losing custo...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 139 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How can I rewrite my menu based on margins?

Picture this: you're unknowingly promoting your least profitable dishes while hiding a competing platformggest moneymakers. Most restaurant owners arrange menus...

⏱️ 1 min read 👁️ 139 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I set portion standards for my entire menu?

Most restaurants lose thousands yearly because they don't standardize portions. One cook serves 200 grams of protein, another serves 280 grams – that's pure pro...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 138 📅 27 Feb 2026
Read more →

How can I use my numbers if I want to invest in a...

A renovation can boost your restaurant's potential, but often costs tens of thousands of euros. Your financial data reveals if you can handle this investment wi...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 138 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How can I use these figures when talking to my accountant?

Every month, you sit across from your accountant with spreadsheets full of numbers, but the real story gets lost in translation. You've got food costs calculate...

⏱️ 4 min read 👁️ 138 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I know if I'm ready to open a second location?

While many restaurant owners dream of expansion, the reality is that most second locations fail within their first year. The difference between those who succee...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 138 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

What is a healthy gross profit margin annually for my...

Gross profit functions like the foundation of a house - without a solid base, everything else crumbles. It's what remains from your revenue after covering all d...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 137 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I link my purchasing to my sales figures?

Connecting purchasing data to sales reveals the true health of your restaurant's bottom line. Most owners buy ingredients based on instinct, never realizing the...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 137 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I link my margins to my rent and labor costs?

It's Tuesday afternoon and you're staring at your bank account, wondering where all the money went. Your food cost looks decent at 30%, but somehow there's bare...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 137 📅 21 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I know if I'm making enough margin on my bestsellers?

Nearly 40% of restaurants fail because their most popular dishes aren't profitable enough. You might sell hundreds of your signature burger each week, but if th...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 137 📅 21 Feb 2026
Read more →

How do I discover which dishes I should remove from the...

Restaurant De Eetkamer's fish plate sells 8 times weekly at €28, yet loses €1,820 annually. Hidden profit drains like this exist on most menus. You'll spot them...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 137 📅 21 Feb 2026
Read more →

What is the benefit of a simple calculation system in...

Over 60% of restaurants fail within their first three years, often due to poor cost control. Many restaurant owners work with estimates and gut feeling, which c...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 136 📅 22 Feb 2026
Read more →

When is your food cost too high?

68% of restaurant owners can't tell you their actual food cost percentage. You think you're profitable, but your food costs are slowly eating away at your margi...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 136 📅 21 Feb 2026
Read more →

🔥 Most read in this category

The most viewed articles in Basic knowledge and formulas

1
What is food cost in a restaurant?
⏱️ 2 min · 👁️ 1,503 times read
Read →
2
How can I see if my profit comes mainly from drinks or food?
⏱️ 3 min · 👁️ 723 times read
Read →
3
What is prime cost in the hospitality industry?
⏱️ 3 min · 👁️ 536 times read
Read →

Related categories

Discover more about related topics

?

Recipes, knowledge & memory

View articles → 249
?

Financial KPIs & management

View articles → 199
?

Menu psychology & menu engineering

View articles → 246
?

Labor cost, P&L & break-even

View articles → 321
View all articles in the category Basic knowledge and formulas. (351)
Disclaimer & terms of use