Calculating revenue per hour helps you estimate whether your brunch service is running profitably. Many hospitality entrepreneurs know their daily revenue, but not how much they earn per hour during peak times versus quiet moments. With this calculation you see exactly which hours generate the most and can plan your staff and purchasing better.
Why revenue per hour matters for brunch
Brunch has a short time window - usually 10:00 to 15:00. In those 5 hours you need to generate your entire weekend revenue. By measuring per hour, you see if you're making enough during your busiest moments.
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with net revenue (excluding VAT) for an accurate picture of your performance.
Basic formula for revenue per hour
The formula is simple, but you need to use the right numbers:
Revenue per hour = Total brunch revenue / Number of opening hours
💡 Example:
Sunday brunch from 10:00-15:00 (5 hours):
- Total revenue: €2,180 incl. VAT
- Revenue excl. VAT: €2,180 / 1.09 = €2,000
- Opening hours: 5 hours
Revenue per hour: €2,000 / 5 = €400 per hour
Peak hours versus quiet hours
Not every hour generates the same revenue. Also measure your revenue per hour block to see where your peak is:
- 10:00-11:00: Opening hour, often 60-70% of average
- 11:00-13:00: Peak hours, often 120-150% of average
- 13:00-15:00: Wind-down, often 80-90% of average
💡 Example hourly breakdown:
At €400 average per hour:
- 10:00-11:00: €280 (opening)
- 11:00-12:00: €520 (peak)
- 12:00-13:00: €580 (top peak)
- 13:00-14:00: €360 (wind-down)
- 14:00-15:00: €260 (tail-off)
Total: €2,000 in 5 hours
Benchmarks for brunch revenue per hour
What is good revenue per hour for brunch? That depends on your type of establishment:
- Neighborhood café: €200-350 per hour
- Trendy brunch spot: €350-500 per hour
- Hotel restaurant: €150-300 per hour
- Fine dining brunch: €400-600 per hour
Revenue per table per hour
For an even sharper picture, also calculate how much each table generates per hour:
Revenue per table per hour = Total revenue / (Number of tables × Number of hours)
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 25 tables:
- Revenue: €2,000 excl. VAT
- Tables: 25
- Hours: 5
Per table per hour: €2,000 / (25 × 5) = €16 per table per hour
Calculate table turnover
Brunch tables typically turn over 1.5 to 2 times per service. This affects your revenue per hour:
- 1 turnover: Guests stay for entire brunch
- 1.5 turnover: Half of tables turn 1×, half turn 2×
- 2 turnover: All tables turn 2× in 5 hours
⚠️ Note:
Too fast turnover can damage your guest experience. Brunch is relaxation, not fast food.
Seasons and weather dependency
Brunch revenue varies greatly by season and weather:
- Summer: Often 20-30% higher (terrace, vacation feeling)
- Winter: Stable, but busy earlier (people indoors)
- Bad weather: Can impact revenue by 40%
- Mother's Day, Easter: Up to 200% of normal revenue
How do you calculate revenue per hour? (step by step)
Gather your revenue data
Pull the total revenue from your brunch service from your POS system. Also note the exact opening times and the number of tables you have.
Convert to net revenue
Divide your gross revenue by 1.09 to remove the VAT. This gives you the actual performance without tax.
Calculate your average per hour
Divide your net revenue by the number of opening hours. For more insight: also measure per hour block to identify your peak hours.
✨ Pro tip
Don't just measure your total revenue per hour, but also per table size. Tables of 4 people often generate the most per hour, while tables of 2 tend to stay longer.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
Should I include VAT in my revenue per hour calculation?
No, always calculate with revenue excluding VAT. VAT is not real revenue for you, but tax you pass on to the government.
What is realistic revenue per hour for an average brunch place?
For a neighborhood café, €250-400 per hour is realistic. This depends on your price level, location, and number of seats.
How often should I measure my revenue per hour?
Measure weekly, especially at first. Later you can compare monthly with the same period last year to see trends.
What if my revenue per hour is too low?
First check your occupancy rate and average bill. Low revenue can come from too few guests or low prices.
Does revenue per hour differ between Saturday and Sunday?
Yes, Sunday is usually 10-20% higher than Saturday. People have more time and make more of an outing of it.
📚 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.
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