Track your hourly earnings to transform your brunch profitability within weeks. Most restaurant owners know their daily numbers but miss the critical hour-by-hour breakdown that reveals which time slots actually make money. This calculation shows exactly where your peak revenue happens so you can optimize staffing and inventory accordingly.
Why revenue per hour matters for brunch
Brunch operates in a tight 5-hour window - typically 10:00 to 15:00. You've got to generate your entire weekend revenue in those precious hours. Measuring per hour reveals if you're maximizing your busiest moments or leaving money on the table.
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with net revenue (excluding VAT) for an accurate picture of your performance.
Basic formula for revenue per hour
The math is straightforward, but you need 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
Every hour doesn't perform equally. Break down your revenue by hour blocks to spot your true peak periods:
- 10:00-11:00: Opening hour, typically 60-70% of average
- 11:00-13:00: Peak hours, often 120-150% of average
- 13:00-15:00: Wind-down, usually 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 counts as solid revenue per hour for brunch? It depends on your establishment type:
- 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 sharper insights, calculate how much each table generates hourly:
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
From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen brunch tables typically turn 1.5 to 2 times per service. This directly impacts your hourly revenue:
- 1 turnover: Guests stay for entire brunch duration
- 1.5 turnover: Half of tables turn once, half turn twice
- 2 turnover: All tables turn twice in 5 hours
⚠️ Note:
Excessive turnover pressure can hurt your guest experience. Brunch means relaxation, not rushed dining.
Seasons and weather dependency
Brunch revenue fluctuates dramatically with seasons and weather conditions:
- Summer: Often 20-30% higher (terrace appeal, vacation vibes)
- Winter: More stable, but guests arrive earlier
- Bad weather: Can slash revenue by 40%
- Mother's Day, Easter: Up to 200% of typical 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
Track your revenue per hour separately for 2-tops versus 4-tops during your next 3 weekend services. You'll discover that 4-person tables generate 40% more per hour despite longer stays.
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
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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
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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