Nearly 60% of dark kitchens lose money on orders under €15 because they miscalculate their true break-even point. Your break-even order amount is the minimum you need per order to avoid losses. Most operators forget crucial costs that eat into margins.
What's included in your break-even calculation?
Your break-even order amount consists of multiple components that many entrepreneurs forget to include:
- Ingredient costs (food cost)
- Platform fees (Thuisbezorgd, Uber Eats: 15-30%)
- Packaging costs (containers, bags, cutlery)
- Labor cost for preparation
- Fixed costs (rent, utilities, insurance)
⚠️ Important:
Platform fees are calculated on your selling price including VAT. This makes your actual margin lower than you think.
The formula for break-even order amount
Use this formula to calculate your minimum order amount:
Break-even order amount = Total costs per order / (1 - Platform fee %)
Where total costs per order consists of:
- Food cost (ingredients)
- Packaging costs
- Labor time × hourly wage
- Share of fixed costs
💡 Example calculation:
A pizza order with the following costs:
- Ingredients: €4.50
- Packaging (box, napkin): €0.80
- Labor (15 min × €15/hour): €3.75
- Fixed costs per order: €2.00
Total costs: €11.05
Platform fee: 25%
Break-even: €11.05 / (1 - 0.25) = €14.73
Distributing fixed costs across orders
You need to distribute your fixed costs (rent, utilities, insurance) across the number of orders per month. Here's how to calculate it:
Fixed costs per order = Total fixed costs per month / Number of orders per month
💡 Example fixed costs:
Dark kitchen with €3,000 fixed costs per month:
- At 500 orders/month: €6.00 per order
- At 1,000 orders/month: €3.00 per order
- At 1,500 orders/month: €2.00 per order
More volume = lower fixed costs per order = lower break-even point
Calculate platform fees correctly
Platform fees are calculated on your selling price including VAT. This means your actual margin is lower than you think:
💡 Platform fee example:
Order of €20.00 incl. 9% VAT:
- Platform fee 25%: €5.00
- VAT (9%): €1.65
- Net received: €13.35
Actual platform fee: €5.00 / €18.35 = 27.2% of your net revenue
Don't forget packaging costs
After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've seen packaging costs destroy margins on small orders. They're often underestimated but can be 3-8% of your order value:
- Pizza box: €0.40-0.60
- Plastic container: €0.15-0.25
- Delivery bag: €0.10-0.15
- Cutlery set: €0.05-0.10
- Napkins: €0.02-0.05
⚠️ Important:
Small orders mean packaging costs eat up a large part of your margin. An €8 order with €0.80 packaging means 10% of your revenue goes to packaging.
Set your minimum order amount strategically
Use your break-even calculation to set a strategic minimum order amount:
- Break-even + 10-15% margin as minimum
- Delivery fees to discourage small orders
- Free delivery from a higher amount
Tools like KitchenNmbrs can automatically calculate your break-even point for each dish, including all costs and platform fees.
How do you calculate your break-even order amount? (step by step)
Gather all cost items per order
Add up: ingredient costs, packaging costs, labor time (minutes × hourly wage), and your share of fixed costs per order. Don't forget anything: napkins and cutlery also cost money.
Calculate your platform fee impact
Platform fees are calculated on your selling price incl. VAT. Use the formula: Break-even = Total costs / (1 - Platform fee %). At 25% platform fee you divide by 0.75.
Set your minimum order amount
Take your break-even amount and add 10-15% margin. This becomes your minimum order amount. Consider delivery fees for orders below this amount to discourage small orders.
✨ Pro tip
Track your break-even point weekly for 4 weeks, then adjust your minimum order threshold by €2-3 above that number. Most operators set minimums too conservatively and miss 15-20% potential profit.
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
Should I include VAT in my break-even calculation?
Yes, platform fees are calculated on your price including VAT. This makes your actual margin lower. Always calculate with the impact of VAT on your platform fees.
How often should I recalculate my break-even point?
Check this monthly or whenever your costs change. Platform fees, ingredient prices, and packaging costs can change, which affects your break-even point.
What if my break-even point is higher than what customers want to pay?
Then you need to adjust your cost structure: cheaper ingredients, more efficient preparation, or more volume to spread fixed costs. A minimum order amount that's too low means losses on every order.
Does my break-even point differ per platform?
Yes, each platform has different fees. Thuisbezorgd, Uber Eats, and Deliveroo charge different percentages. Calculate your break-even point per platform separately.
How do I factor in labor time in my break-even?
Estimate how many minutes an order takes to prepare. Multiply this by your hourly wage (including employer contributions). An order taking 15 minutes at €15/hour costs €3.75 in labor.
Should I calculate break-even differently for combo meals versus single items?
Absolutely. Combo meals often have lower per-item packaging costs and faster prep times per euro of revenue. Single high-value items might need individual containers, increasing your break-even threshold.
📚 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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