Over 60% of restaurants fail within the first year due to poor cost control. You don't need expensive software right away to get your food costs under control. A simple notebook can serve as your temporary command center for tracking the figures that matter most.
Why a notebook works as a temporary solution
Many restaurant owners know they should monitor their food costs better, but keep putting it off because they assume it's too complex. A notebook eliminates this barrier:
- No technical barrier
- Always available in the kitchen
- Direct insight into your biggest cost items
- Takes a maximum of 5 minutes per day
⚠️ Note:
A notebook serves as a temporary bridge. For precise calculations and automatic updates, you'll eventually need a digital system.
Which figures do you record daily
Focus on the data that delivers the most impact. Too much detail makes the system too cumbersome to maintain consistently.
Daily (2 minutes):
- Number of covers yesterday
- Revenue yesterday
- Biggest waste (what was thrown away?)
Weekly (10 minutes):
- Food cost of your 3 best-selling dishes
- Total purchase value this week
- Total revenue this week
💡 Example daily note:
Tuesday March 15:
- Covers: 47
- Revenue: €1,240
- Waste: 2 kg potatoes (forgotten in cooler)
Average check: €26.38
Calculate food cost with notebook
For your most important dishes, calculate the food cost once monthly. You do this by adding up all ingredient costs.
Formula: Food cost % = (Ingredient costs / Selling price excl. VAT) × 100
💡 Example: Steak calculation
Menu price: €32.00 (incl. 9% VAT) = €29.36 excl. VAT
- Steak 250g: €6.50
- Potatoes: €0.80
- Vegetables: €1.20
- Sauce: €0.60
- Butter/oil: €0.40
Total food cost: €9.50
Food cost: (€9.50 / €29.36) × 100 = 32.4%
Signals to watch for
Your notebook helps you spot patterns early. From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, these signals require immediate attention:
- Food cost above 35%: Dish doesn't generate enough profit
- Lots of waste from the same product: Ordered too much
- Revenue drops, covers don't: Average check is declining
- Purchase value rises faster than revenue: Prices need adjustment
💡 Example signal:
Week 1: Purchases €2,800, revenue €8,400 (33% ratio)
Week 2: Purchases €3,200, revenue €8,600 (37% ratio)
Action: Check if supplier raised prices
Moving to digital systems
A notebook works as a temporary solution, but has limitations. Make the switch to a digital system when:
- You have more than 20 dishes on your menu
- Suppliers regularly adjust prices
- You have multiple people in the kitchen
- Manual calculations take too much time
Tools like KitchenNmbrs then automatically calculate your food cost and alert you when prices rise too much.
How do you set up the notebook method? (step by step)
Buy a sturdy notebook
Choose a notebook that can withstand kitchen conditions. Always place it in the same spot, for example next to the register. Write the start date on the first page.
Create a daily routine
Note down every morning at 9:00 the figures from yesterday: number of covers, revenue and biggest waste. This takes a maximum of 2 minutes but gives you direct insight into trends.
Calculate your top dishes weekly
Choose your 3 best-selling dishes and calculate their food cost every week. Add up all ingredients and divide by the selling price excl. VAT. Note the percentage.
Analyze patterns monthly
Flip through your notes and look for patterns. Are your costs rising? Is your average check dropping? These insights help you adjust in time before problems grow.
✨ Pro tip
Track supplier price increases for 30 days in a dedicated section of your notebook with exact dates and percentage changes. This creates a clear pattern of when menu price adjustments become necessary.
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
How much time does the notebook method take per day?
Daily tracking takes a maximum of 2 minutes for basic notes. Weekly calculations require another 10 minutes for your top dishes. Total time investment: about 25 minutes per week.
Which dishes should I track in my notebook?
Focus on your 3-5 best-selling dishes since these account for 70-80% of your profit. If those dishes perform well, you've addressed the biggest part of your cost control challenge.
How often should I recalculate food costs?
Recalculate your top dishes weekly and other menu items monthly. If suppliers raise prices, immediately recalculate all affected dishes to maintain profitability.
What if my food cost comes out above 35%?
You're likely losing money on that dish. First verify you've included all ingredients in your calculation. If accurate, either raise the selling price or modify the recipe to reduce costs.
Can I combine this method with a digital system?
Absolutely - a notebook serves as the perfect bridge while you evaluate digital options. You can transfer your manual data into digital systems later without losing historical insights.
How do I handle seasonal ingredient price fluctuations in my notebook?
Create a separate section for seasonal adjustments and track price changes monthly during peak fluctuation periods. Note the date ranges when prices typically spike so you can plan menu changes accordingly.
📚 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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