How many months has it been since you last checked if your menu prices still make sense? Supplier costs shift constantly, yet most restaurant owners treat their menu like it's carved in stone. One simple monthly habit can prevent profit from quietly slipping away.
Why price reviews matter more than you think
Food suppliers bump their prices 2-4 times yearly. Sometimes they'll send a notice that gets buried in your inbox. Other times they just quietly adjust invoices.
Your menu prices stay frozen while costs creep upward.
⚠️ Watch out:
A 10% price increase from your meat supplier can raise your food cost on meat dishes by 3-4 percentage points. That can be the difference between profit and loss.
The monthly check-in rule
Here's your agreement: every first Monday of the month, spend 20 minutes reviewing your top 5 dishes. That's it. No complex spreadsheets or lengthy analysis sessions.
Based on real restaurant P&L data, this simple habit catches cost creep before it damages your bottom line.
💡 Example:
You sell 200 steaks per month. Your supplier raised the price from €24 to €27 per kilo, but you don't know it.
- Extra cost per steak (250g): €0.75
- Per month: 200 × €0.75 = €150
- Per year: €1,800 less profit
A monthly 5-minute check would have prevented this.
Which dishes deserve your attention?
Don't overthink this. Focus on these five categories:
- Your volume champion: The dish that flies out most often
- Your premium option: Where absolute dollar amounts hit hardest
- Your protein-heavy dish: Meat prices swing wildly
- Your seafood option: Fish costs change faster than weather
- Your budget dish: Thin margins leave no room for surprises
What happens when costs climb?
You've got three moves, depending on how much your food cost jumped:
💡 Example decision:
Your pasta carbonara had a food cost of 28%. Due to more expensive bacon it's now 32%.
- 1-2% increase: Accept it (temporarily)
- 3-4% increase: Make the portion slightly smaller
- 5%+ increase: Raise your menu price
Making it stick
Block out time in your calendar. Treat this like any other crucial business meeting because that's exactly what it is.
Some operators use food cost tracking tools to automate the math. Then you'll spot rising costs immediately without manual calculations.
How do you set up a monthly price check?
Choose your 5 most important dishes
Grab your cash register report from last month. Which 5 dishes do you sell most often? These are your priorities for the monthly check.
Calculate the current food cost
Add up all ingredients for these 5 dishes. Divide by the selling price excl. VAT. This is your baseline for next month.
Put it in your calendar
Schedule a 15-minute appointment with yourself every first of the month. Check the 5 dishes again and compare with last month.
✨ Pro tip
Commit to reviewing prices every 3rd Tuesday of the month, no exceptions. Set a phone alarm and treat it like you would a supplier meeting - because your profit margins depend on 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
Why only 5 dishes and not my entire menu?
These 5 dishes likely drive 60-80% of your revenue. Fix the big movers first. Checking everything means you'll abandon the habit within weeks.
What if my supplier raises prices without warning?
It happens constantly. Monthly checks mean you'll catch it within 4 weeks instead of discovering it months later. Ask suppliers to notify you of changes, but don't count on it.
Can't I just check quarterly instead?
Sure, but you'll be 3 months behind reality. At 200 portions monthly, that delay can cost you €500+ in lost profit that monthly reviews would've prevented.
Should I raise menu prices immediately when ingredient costs jump?
Not always. You can absorb 1-2% food cost increases temporarily. But 3%+ hurts, and you need to act fast.
How do I know when food costs are dangerously high?
Above 35% makes profit nearly impossible for most restaurants. The sweet spot sits between 28-33% for typical dishes.
What if I find multiple dishes with cost problems during one review?
Prioritize by revenue impact. Fix your highest-volume dish first, then work down the list. Don't try to solve everything at once.
📚 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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