You can afford exactly 15-20% of your revenue on kitchen labor - no more, no less. Most restaurant owners schedule by instinct and wonder why profits disappear. There's actually a straightforward calculation that shows you the maximum cooks you can hire for any revenue target.
The basic formula for labor costs
Labor costs in hospitality typically run between 25% and 35% of your revenue. For the kitchen alone, you'll budget roughly 15% to 20% of your total revenue. This percentage caps how much you can spend on kitchen staff.
💡 Example:
You're aiming for €8,000 revenue on a Saturday night:
- Maximum 18% for kitchen staff = €1,440
- Cook hourly rate including employer contributions: €18
- Shift duration 8 hours
Maximum number of cooks: €1,440 ÷ (€18 × 8 hours) = 10 cooks
Don't forget employer contributions
Gross salary isn't what you actually pay. On top comes employer contributions of roughly 25% to 30%. These cover social security premiums, pension contributions, and holiday pay.
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with the total hourly rate including employer contributions. A cook earning €14 per hour actually costs you €18 per hour.
Account for different skill levels
Not all kitchen staff earn the same wage. A sous chef costs significantly more than a kitchen assistant. After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've found you need a realistic breakdown:
- Head chef: €22-25 per hour (including contributions)
- Sous chef: €19-22 per hour (including contributions)
- Independent cook: €16-19 per hour (including contributions)
- Kitchen assistant: €13-16 per hour (including contributions)
💡 Example breakdown:
For a Saturday night with €8,000 revenue target:
- 1 head chef: €24 × 8 hours = €192
- 2 sous chefs: €20 × 8 hours × 2 = €320
- 4 independent cooks: €17 × 8 hours × 4 = €544
- 3 kitchen assistants: €14 × 8 hours × 3 = €336
Total: €1,392 (17.4% of €8,000 revenue)
Distribute revenue by hour
Your revenue isn't evenly spread throughout the day. During lunch and dinner rushes you'll need more staff than during quiet periods. Realistically distribute your revenue target across operating hours.
A typical distribution for restaurants looks like:
- 11:00-14:00 (lunch): 30% of daily revenue
- 14:00-17:00 (quiet): 10% of daily revenue
- 17:00-22:00 (dinner): 60% of daily revenue
Buffer for unexpected busy periods
Never plan at 100% capacity. Always maintain a buffer for unexpected rushes, sick leave, or extra orders. A buffer of 10% to 15% on your labor costs makes sense.
⚠️ Note:
Planning too tight creates stress, mistakes, and unhappy guests. That ultimately costs you more than one extra cook.
Season and day of the week
Not every day requires identical staffing levels. A Tuesday in January generates different revenue than a Saturday in December. Adjust your staffing plan to realistic revenue expectations per day.
Use historical data from your POS system to identify patterns. Which days stay consistently busier? And you can use tools like KitchenNmbrs to track these trends over time.
How do you calculate the maximum number of cooks? (step by step)
Determine your revenue target for that day
Look at historical data or set a realistic target. For example €8,000 for a Saturday night. This becomes the basis of your calculation.
Calculate maximum kitchen staff budget
Multiply your revenue target by 15-20%. At €8,000 revenue that's €1,200 to €1,600 for all kitchen staff combined.
Distribute across skill levels and hours
Divide your budget across head chef, sous chefs, cooks, and assistants. Calculate with hourly rate including 25-30% employer contributions. Divide by number of hours per shift.
✨ Pro tip
Track your actual labor costs against revenue every Tuesday for 6 weeks straight. You'll spot patterns in overstaffing that cost you €200-500 per week without realizing it.
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
What if my labor cost turns out higher than 20%?
Then you're not earning enough per dish or you're working inefficiently. Check your menu prices and see if processes can be improved. Sometimes raising prices by €1-2 per dish solves the problem entirely.
What about my own salary as owner?
If you work in the kitchen yourself, count your own hours at market rate wages. Otherwise you won't get a realistic picture. Many owners forget this and wonder why their numbers don't add up.
Should I also count dishwashers?
Yes, all staff working in the kitchen counts toward your kitchen staff percentage. Dishwashing, prep cooks, and expediting are included in that 15-20% calculation.
📚 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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