Managing packaging and hygiene costs is like tracking invisible ingredients that silently eat away at your profits. Many dark kitchen operators overlook these expenses, watching their margins disappear with every delivery order. You need precise calculations to avoid losing money on what should be profitable sales.
What counts as packaging and hygiene costs?
Delivery operations face unique expenses that dine-in restaurants never encounter. These costs stack up faster than most owners realize:
- Packaging materials: containers, bags, stickers, cutlery
- Hygiene materials: gloves, hairnets, disinfectant
- Extra cleaning: more dishwashing due to packaging
- Food safety: temperature control during transport
⚠️ Watch out:
Most operators only count containers but overlook stickers, bags, cutlery, and gloves. These forgotten items drain profits quickly.
Calculate your packaging costs per order
Collect every packaging item used in your average order. Don't estimate – physically gather and price each component:
💡 Example average order:
Pizza + fries + drink order:
- Pizza box: €0.45
- Fries container + lid: €0.32
- Plastic bag: €0.08
- Stickers (2x): €0.06
- Cutlery set: €0.12
- Napkins: €0.03
Total packaging: €1.06 per order
Track this across 75+ orders for accurate averages. Large orders need more packaging, smaller ones less – you want the real middle ground.
Factor in hygiene costs
Hygiene expenses prove trickier since they're consumed per shift rather than per order. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen operators consistently underestimate these daily costs:
- Gloves: how many pairs per shift?
- Disinfectant: how much ml per cleaning?
- Extra dishwashing liquid: more packaging = more dishes
- Hairnets/caps: replaced per shift
💡 Example hygiene cost calculation:
Average evening shift (80 orders):
- Gloves (8 pairs): €1.60
- Disinfectant: €0.80
- Extra dishwashing liquid: €1.20
- Hairnets (2x): €0.40
Total: €4.00 / 80 orders = €0.05 per order
Total cost calculation in your pricing
Combine packaging and hygiene costs, then include them in your cost price alongside ingredients:
Updated cost price formula:
Cost price = Ingredients + Packaging + Hygiene + Platform fee
💡 Example complete calculation:
Margherita pizza delivery:
- Ingredients: €3.20
- Packaging: €0.45
- Hygiene: €0.05
- Total cost price: €3.70
At selling price €12.00 (excl. 9% VAT = €11.01):
Food cost: €3.70 / €11.01 × 100 = 33.6%
⚠️ Watch out:
Delivery platforms charge 15-30% commission on top of this cost price. Factor this into your final pricing strategy.
Monthly check and adjustment
Packaging costs shift constantly due to:
- Supplier price increases
- Changes in order composition
- Seasonal fluctuations (more soup in winter = different packaging)
- New packaging requirements (sustainability, regulations)
Review your average packaging costs monthly and adjust pricing accordingly. Small changes compound quickly in high-volume operations.
How do you calculate packaging and hygiene costs? (step by step)
Gather all packaging materials per order
Lay out all packaging materials for one average order: containers, lids, bags, stickers, cutlery, napkins. Add up the cost of each item.
Measure hygiene costs per shift
Keep track of how many gloves, disinfectant, and extra cleaning materials you use per shift. Divide this by the number of orders in that shift.
Add up and factor into cost price
Add packaging and hygiene costs to your ingredient costs. Use this total to calculate your food cost percentage and determine your selling price.
✨ Pro tip
Calculate exact packaging costs for your 8 highest-volume menu items over the next 2 weeks. These items likely represent 70% of your orders, so getting their costs right protects most of your profit margin.
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 percentage of my revenue should go to packaging?
Well-organized delivery concepts typically spend 6-10% of revenue on packaging. Once you hit 12%, your margins start taking serious damage.
Should I absorb sustainable packaging costs or pass them to customers?
Sustainable packaging costs 20-40% more than standard options. Build these costs into your pricing just like any other ingredient – most customers understand and accept the premium.
Can I save money buying packaging in bulk quantities?
Bulk purchasing typically saves 10-15%, but balance this against cash flow and storage constraints. Never buy more than 3 months of inventory 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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