How many dishes on your menu are secretly bleeding money? Most restaurant owners focus on taste and popularity while the numbers tell a different story. The right questions prevent you from unknowingly losing cash on every plate.
The 8 crucial questions for every new dish
Every dish you add or modify needs this 10-minute review. Skip it, and you're risking thousands in lost profits annually.
1. What do all the ingredients really cost?
Count everything that touches the plate. That olive oil drizzle, parsley garnish, and searing butter all add up.
💡 Example: Pasta carbonara
Ingredients per portion:
- Pasta: €0.45
- Bacon: €1.20
- Egg: €0.35
- Parmesan: €0.80
- Cream: €0.25
- Herbs/oil: €0.15
Total ingredient costs: €3.20
2. What's my maximum ingredient cost at this selling price?
Start with your target price and work backwards. Charging €16.50 including VAT with a 30% food cost target? Here's your ceiling.
💡 Calculation:
Selling price: €16.50 incl. 9% VAT = €15.14 excl. VAT
Maximum ingredient costs: €15.14 × 0.30 = €4.54
Your pasta at €3.20 fits perfectly within this budget.
3. How much of this will I sell per week?
A twice-weekly order impacts your bottom line differently than your signature bestseller. Prioritize dishes with high volume first.
4. Can my kitchen make this efficiently?
Twenty extra minutes per portion kills profit through labor costs. Something most kitchen managers discover too late after adding complex dishes during busy periods. Consider:
- Service prep time
- Daily prep requirements
- Special equipment needs
- Perishable ingredient spoilage
5. Does this fit my target audience and price level?
That €35 wagyu burger won't work in a café where mains run €12-18. Your new dish should align with existing menu pricing and customer expectations.
6. What happens if supplier prices go up?
Certain ingredients swing wildly in price. Asparagus jumps from €8/kg in May to €24/kg in January. Always calculate using peak pricing.
⚠️ Watch out:
Fish and meat prices spike quickly. Review your food costs monthly, especially for dishes with expensive proteins.
7. Have I accounted for trim loss properly?
Whole fish, whole cuts, fresh produce - calculate using actual yield, not purchase weight.
💡 Example: Salmon fillet
You buy whole salmon for €18/kg, but get 55% fillet:
Actual fillet price: €18 ÷ 0.55 = €32.73/kg
Calculate with €32.73, not €18 per kilo!
8. Can I document the recipe for consistency?
If you're the only one who knows the recipe, busy shifts become problematic. Document portions, prep methods, and plating for your entire team.
The practical check: do the math
Run this simple calculation for every dish:
Food cost % = (Ingredient costs ÷ Selling price excl. VAT) × 100
Target: 28-35% for most restaurants
Above 35%? Raise the price or adjust ingredients.
Tools like KitchenNmbrs show immediately if your new dish hits profitability targets, eliminating manual VAT and percentage calculations.
How do you evaluate a new dish? (step by step)
Calculate exact ingredient costs
Make a list of all ingredients with quantities and prices per portion. Also add small things like herbs, oil, and garnish. Account for trim loss with the actual price after processing.
Determine your selling price and food cost
Convert your selling price to excl. VAT and calculate the food cost percentage. Aim for 28-35% for most restaurants. Check if this fits within your price level and target audience.
Test and document the recipe
Make the dish a few times and measure exactly how much you use. Document portion sizes, preparation method, and presentation so every team member can make it consistently.
✨ Pro tip
Test these 8 questions on your 3 highest-volume dishes within the next 48 hours. Those bestsellers drive 70% of your profit impact, making them your priority fix.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Was this article helpful?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to calculate every ingredient down to the gram?
Focus precision on main ingredients, estimate herbs and oils. Price that olive oil drizzle at €0.05-0.10 per portion. Prioritize ingredients costing more than €0.20 per serving.
What if my food cost comes out to 38%?
You're likely losing money on that dish. Raise prices, adjust ingredients, or reduce portions. Signature dishes can run higher if other menu items compensate.
How often should I recalculate my dishes?
Always for new additions. Review existing dishes every 3 months or when supplier prices change. Check your top 5 bestsellers monthly since they drive most profit impact.
What if I use seasonal ingredients?
Calculate using peak pricing you expect to pay. If asparagus costs work at January's €24/kg rate, you're safe at May's €8/kg price.
Should I include labor costs in this calculation?
Food cost covers ingredients only. But remember - dishes requiring 30+ minutes prep hurt profits through labor expenses. Factor efficiency into your overall decision.
Can I just copy competitor pricing?
Competitor prices provide market context, but your costs differ. Your suppliers, portion sizes, and quality levels create unique economics that require separate calculations.
📚 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.
Automate your daily kitchen controls
Manual controls take time and miss errors. KitchenNmbrs automates temperature logging, inventory management, and HACCP checks. Try it free for 14 days.
Start free trial →