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Basic knowledge and formulas

Learn the fundamental formulas and calculation methods for hospitality.

How do I calculate my average margin for the whole day?

Your average margin for the whole day is like checking your wallet after a night out – you know you spent money, but do you know what you actually have left? Ma...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 186 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How can I get more margin from my bestsellers with the...

Restaurant De Keuken increased their weekly profit by €127 just by adjusting portion sizes on three bestsellers. Most owners chase new menu items while missing...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 186 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I know if my menu is too complex for healthy margins?

A complex menu can drain your profits while a streamlined one boosts them. Most restaurant owners believe variety attracts customers, but the opposite often pro...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 186 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I check if my food cost matches my target?

Over 60% of restaurant owners can't tell you their actual food cost percentage within 3 points of accuracy. They're flying blind on their most controllable expe...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 186 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I link portion control to my recipes in a digital...

Think of portion control like tuning a piano - every key needs to hit the exact same note every time, or the whole performance falls apart. Many kitchens strugg...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 185 📅 27 Feb 2026
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How do I set a fixed portion size for each dish in my...

Restaurants lose an average of €47,000 annually due to inconsistent portion sizes. Your chef serves 200 grams of steak Monday, 300 grams Tuesday - same taste, w...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 185 📅 27 Feb 2026
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How do I calculate the cost price when a dish contains...

Picture this: your signature steak dinner includes a carefully selected wine pairing, but your food cost calculations seem off every month. Mixed VAT rates on c...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 185 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I calculate back from price including VAT to cost...

Converting menu price to cost price accurately prevents costly miscalculations that can destroy your restaurant's profitability. Many entrepreneurs forget VAT i...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 185 📅 22 Feb 2026
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What is menu engineering in simple terms?

Picture this: you're scanning last month's sales data and notice your €28 lamb dish sold just 12 times while your €18 burger moved 180 portions. Your menu might...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 185 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I calculate my restaurant's break-even point?

Your restaurant's break-even point is the exact number of covers needed to avoid losing money each month. Most owners operate without knowing this crucial figur...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 185 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I know if I have enough buffer in my margins?

A popular downtown bistro thought they had healthy 68% margins until their key supplier raised prices 15% overnight. Without adequate buffer, that single change...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 184 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I determine the price of catering per person?

A local caterer recently discovered they'd been losing €3.20 on every business lunch they served for six months. The culprit? Hidden costs they hadn't factored...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 184 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I check if my selling prices really cover my costs?

Great restaurants price their dishes based on cold, hard numbers while struggling ones rely on guesswork and competitor watching. The difference between these a...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 184 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I teach my staff to talk about high-margin dishes?

A single server recommendation can swing your profit by €4 per guest. Train your team to guide diners toward profitable dishes without being pushy. Smart server...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 183 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I determine the price of a daily soup?

Daily soup pricing can make or break your profit margins. Many kitchens underestimate costs by forgetting cream, herbs, and garnishes. You'll discover how to ca...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 183 📅 22 Feb 2026
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What's the difference between food cost and selling price?

Ever wonder why some dishes seem profitable until you actually crunch the numbers? Food cost is what you pay for ingredients, while selling price is what guests...

⏱️ 2 min read 👁️ 183 📅 21 Feb 2026
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How do I use food cost data to negotiate with suppliers?

Most restaurant owners negotiate with suppliers using vague complaints about high prices. But savvy operators arm themselves with precise food cost data, transf...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 182 📅 27 Feb 2026
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How do I recognize from my numbers that my concept is no...

Like a car engine that sounds fine but burns too much fuel, your restaurant might appear busy while quietly bleeding money. This disconnect between activity and...

⏱️ 4 min read 👁️ 182 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How do I read a supplier delivery report?

Your supplier's delivery report holds the key to accurate food costing, but most restaurant owners miss critical price changes and discrepancies that eat into p...

⏱️ 4 min read 👁️ 182 📅 22 Feb 2026
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How can I identify my loss leaders and signature dishes?

Every month, restaurants lose thousands in profits because their busiest dishes barely break even. A packed dining room means nothing if your signature items op...

⏱️ 3 min read 👁️ 182 📅 22 Feb 2026
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🔥 Most read in this category

The most viewed articles in Basic knowledge and formulas

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