A smaller menu can save you thousands of euros per year. Fewer dishes means less purchasing, less waste and a faster kitchen. Here you'll learn exactly how much you save by shrinking from 40 to 25 dishes.
Where's the savings in a smaller menu?
A smaller menu saves you money on multiple fronts. You buy fewer different ingredients, have less waste and your kitchen operates more efficiently. The biggest savings come from inventory costs and food waste.
- Fewer ingredients = lower inventory value
- Less waste through better stock turnover
- Higher volumes per dish = better purchase prices
- Faster preparation = less labor time
Calculate your current inventory costs
Start by mapping out your current situation. Add up all the ingredients you buy for your 40 dishes. Focus on products you only use for certain dishes.
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 40 dishes:
- Inventory value: €12,000
- Weekly purchasing: €4,500
- Waste per week: €450 (10%)
- Unique ingredients: 180
Annual waste: €23,400
Pay special attention to ingredients used for only 1 or 2 dishes. These create the most waste risk and tie up a lot of capital.
Identify which dishes can go
Analyze your sales data from the last 3 months. Which 15 dishes sell the least? These are candidates for removal. Focus on dishes with unique ingredients that aren't used anywhere else.
⚠️ Watch out:
Don't just remove your 15 worst-selling dishes. Also look at profitability. Sometimes a slow-selling dish is highly profitable and worth keeping.
Calculate inventory savings
Add up how many ingredients you can remove by dropping 15 dishes. Work out how much capital is freed up and how much less waste you'll have.
💡 Example calculation:
By removing 15 dishes:
- 45 fewer unique ingredients (25% of total)
- Inventory value drops to €9,000 (-€3,000)
- Waste drops to €315/week (-€135)
- Weekly purchasing: €3,600 (-€900)
Annual waste savings: €7,020
Calculate efficiency gains
A smaller menu also means faster preparation. Your chef needs to know fewer dishes and can prepare them faster. This saves labor time, especially during peak hours.
- Average 20% faster preparation per dish
- Fewer mistakes from a simpler menu
- Easier to train new staff
- Better quality through more focus
Calculate: if you need 2 fewer hours of labor per evening at €18/hour, you save €36 per evening. At 6 days per week that's €11,232 per year.
Calculate total savings
Add all savings together for the complete picture. Don't forget to include the one-time revenue from freed-up inventory.
💡 Total savings example:
- Less waste: €7,020/year
- Labor savings: €11,232/year
- Freed-up inventory: €3,000 one-time
- Lower purchasing costs: €2,400/year
Total year 1: €23,652
This savings continues every year, except for the one-time inventory revenue. Over 3 years you'll save over €60,000 by shrinking your menu.
How do you calculate the savings? (step by step)
Inventory your current costs
Add up your total inventory value and calculate your weekly waste. Also note how many unique ingredients you use for all 40 dishes.
Select 15 dishes to remove
Analyze your sales data and choose the least popular dishes with unique ingredients. Watch profitability: keep profitable niches.
Calculate all savings
Add up: less waste, lower inventory costs, labor savings and better purchase prices. Multiply by 52 weeks for annual savings.
✨ Pro tip
Start by removing dishes that sell only 1-2 times per week. Those cost more than they bring in through waste and inventory costs.
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
Won't I lose sales with less choice?
Usually not. Guests choose from 3-5 favorite dishes anyway. A smaller menu with better quality often increases the average bill.
How many dishes is ideal for a restaurant?
For most restaurants, 20-30 dishes is optimal. Enough choice for guests, but not so much that you lose efficiency.
How often should I evaluate my menu?
Check your sales data every quarter. Dishes that sell poorly for 3 months straight are candidates for replacement or removal.
Can I also use seasonal dishes to shrink the menu?
Yes, seasonal rotation is smart. This keeps variety without making your base menu too large. Rotate 5-8 dishes per season.
What if guests ask for removed dishes?
Tell them honestly that you're focusing on quality of your best dishes. Offer alternatives that are similar in flavor.
📚 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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