Dark kitchen break-even calculations have become critical as delivery-only operations multiply across urban markets. Your cost structure differs dramatically from traditional restaurants - no dining room overhead, but hefty platform fees and packaging expenses. You'll discover exactly how to determine profitability at various revenue thresholds.
What is the break-even point for a dark kitchen?
The break-even point is the revenue level where your total income equals your total costs. For dark kitchens this differs from restaurants because your cost structure is unique.
💡 Example dark kitchen cost structure:
- Kitchen rent: €2.500/month
- Staff: €4.000/month
- Energy: €400/month
- Insurance: €300/month
- Platform fees: 20% of revenue
- Packaging: €0.80 per order
- Food cost: 30% of revenue
Fixed costs: €7.200/month
Identifying fixed vs. variable costs
For an accurate break-even calculation you need to divide your costs into two categories:
Fixed costs (stay the same regardless of revenue):
- Kitchen space rent
- Base staff salary
- Insurance
- Energy costs (basic consumption)
- Software subscriptions
Variable costs (increase with revenue):
- Platform fees (15-30% of order value)
- Food cost (25-35% of revenue)
- Packaging costs (€0.50-€1.20 per order)
- Extra staff during busy times
The break-even formula for dark kitchens
The formula is: Break-even revenue = Fixed costs / (1 - Variable costs %)
Variable costs % = (Platform fees % + Food cost % + Packaging % + Other variable costs %)
💡 Practical calculation example:
Fixed costs: €7.200/month
- Platform fees: 20%
- Food cost: 30%
- Packaging: 5% (€0.80 per €16 average order)
- Other variable: 5%
Total variable costs: 60%
Break-even: €7.200 / (1 - 0.60) = €18.000/month
Break-even at different scenarios
Your break-even point shifts if your cost structure changes. Here are three realistic scenarios:
Scenario 1: Budget setup
- Fixed costs: €5.500/month (smaller space, less staff)
- Variable costs: 65% (higher food cost due to smaller purchasing)
- Break-even: €5.500 / 0.35 = €15.714/month
Scenario 2: Optimized
- Fixed costs: €8.000/month (better location, more equipment)
- Variable costs: 55% (better purchasing conditions, more efficient packaging)
- Break-even: €8.000 / 0.45 = €17.778/month
Scenario 3: Premium
- Fixed costs: €12.000/month (large kitchen, more staff)
- Variable costs: 50% (lower platform fees due to volume, own delivery)
- Break-even: €12.000 / 0.50 = €24.000/month
⚠️ Note:
Platform fees vary widely by platform and volume. Deliveroo and Uber Eats charge 15-30%. Always check your current rates for an accurate calculation.
Calculating orders per day
Once you know your break-even revenue, you can calculate how many orders you need per day:
Formula: Break-even orders/day = (Break-even revenue/month) / (Working days × Average order value)
💡 Example orders calculation:
Break-even revenue: €18.000/month
Working days: 26 per month (6 days/week)
Average order value: €22
Required orders: €18.000 / (26 × €22) = 32 orders per day
Platform mix and impact on break-even
Different platforms have different fees, which affects your break-even point. From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, I've seen how platform mix dramatically changes profitability:
- Deliveroo: 13-15% at high volume, up to 30% at low volume
- Uber Eats: 15-25% depending on contract
- Own website: 3-5% (payment provider + website costs)
A mix of 50% own orders (5% costs) and 50% platform orders (20% costs) gives an average of 12.5% platform fees instead of 20%.
Accounting for seasonal fluctuations
Dark kitchens often have seasonal peaks. Calculate your break-even for different periods:
- Quiet months: 70% of average revenue
- Normal months: 100% of average revenue
- Peak months: 130% of average revenue (holidays, bad weather)
⚠️ Note:
Plan your cash flow based on your worst months. If your break-even is €18.000, you'll need €25.700 revenue in quiet months to achieve the same result.
Digital tools for break-even monitoring
Manually tracking all these numbers takes considerable time. Systems like KitchenNmbrs help you automatically track your food cost, packaging costs and profit margins, so you can quickly see if you're above or below your break-even point.
How do you calculate the break-even point? (step by step)
Gather all your fixed monthly costs
Write down rent, staff, insurance, energy and all other costs that don't change with your revenue. Add these up for your total fixed costs per month.
Calculate your variable costs percentage
Add up platform fees, food cost percentage, packaging costs and other variable costs. This gives you the percentage of each revenue dollar that goes to variable costs.
Apply the break-even formula
Divide your fixed costs by (1 minus your variable costs percentage). The result is your break-even revenue per month.
Calculate required orders per day
Divide your break-even revenue by your working days per month and your average order value. This tells you how many orders you need daily.
Monitor and adjust
Check monthly whether your assumptions are correct and adjust your calculation if costs or platform fees change. Use a system to track this automatically.
✨ Pro tip
Recalculate your break-even every 6 weeks during your first year of operation. Platform fee negotiations, supplier price changes, and menu optimization can shift your numbers by 15-20% quickly.
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 is a realistic break-even revenue for a starting dark kitchen?
For a starting dark kitchen, the break-even point is usually between €12.000 and €20.000 per month, depending on your fixed costs and platform mix. Start conservatively with your estimates and adjust as you gather real data.
What if I run multiple brands from one kitchen?
Calculate your break-even for the total kitchen, but monitor per brand which ones are most profitable. Some brands may run at a loss while others compensate. Track contribution margins separately for each brand.
How do packaging costs affect my break-even calculation?
Packaging typically represents 3-7% of revenue, but varies significantly by cuisine type and order size. Asian cuisine with multiple containers can hit 8%, while pizza averages 2-3%. Always calculate based on your actual packaging spend per order.
📚 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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