Over 60% of dark kitchens miscalculate their actual margins by ignoring platform fees in their initial calculations. Unlike traditional restaurants, you're dealing with delivery platform commissions and packaging costs instead of table service expenses. Your margin formula needs adjustment to reflect this reality.
What makes dark kitchen margins different?
Dark kitchens operate with a fundamentally different cost structure. You don't have dining areas or waitstaff, but you're facing these unique expenses:
- Platform fees (Deliveroo, Uber Eats): 15-30% of your order value
- Packaging costs: containers, bags, cutlery, napkins
- Higher food cost due to packaging requirements
- Different labor costs: kitchen-focused, no front-of-house staff
So your margin calculation can't follow traditional restaurant formulas.
💡 Example:
Pasta carbonara dark kitchen:
- Selling price: €16.50 incl. 9% VAT
- Platform fee (25%): €4.13
- Ingredients: €4.80
- Packaging: €0.85
Net revenue: €16.50 - €4.13 = €12.37
The correct formula for dark kitchen margin
Dark kitchens require an adjusted margin formula that accounts for platform deductions:
Margin % = ((Net revenue - Total costs) / Net revenue) × 100
Where:
- Net revenue = Selling price - Platform fee
- Total costs = Ingredients + Packaging + Labor per portion
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with net revenue after platform fee deductions. Otherwise you'll overestimate your profitability significantly.
Processing platform fees correctly
Platform fees represent a percentage of your total order value. Here's what you'll typically encounter:
- Deliveroo: 13-30% (varies by contract terms)
- Uber Eats: 15-30%
- Just Eat: 15-35%
These fees get deducted from your gross revenue before any margin calculations. From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, platform fees consistently represent the largest single expense category for dark kitchens.
💡 Example calculation:
Margherita pizza dark kitchen:
- Selling price: €12.95 incl. 9% VAT
- Selling price excl. VAT: €11.88
- Platform fee (20%): €2.38
- Net revenue: €9.50
- Ingredients: €2.40
- Packaging (box + napkin): €0.45
- Total costs: €2.85
Margin: ((€9.50 - €2.85) / €9.50) × 100 = 70%
Including packaging costs
Packaging represents a substantial cost component that traditional restaurants don't face. You need to account for every item:
- Main packaging (container, box)
- Lid
- Cutlery and napkins
- Bags and labels
- Sauce containers
Expect packaging costs between €0.30 and €1.20 per order, depending on dish complexity and presentation requirements.
💡 Packaging costs example:
Asian bowl:
- Cardboard bowl: €0.22
- Lid: €0.08
- Chopsticks: €0.12
- Soy sauce packet: €0.05
- Plastic bag: €0.03
- Sticker: €0.02
Total packaging: €0.52 per order
Calculating labor costs per portion
Dark kitchens focus exclusively on kitchen staff - no servers, hosts, or bussers. Calculate your labor cost per portion using this formula:
Labor cost per portion = (Total hourly wages / Number of portions per hour)
Most experienced cooks can prepare 15-25 portions hourly, though this varies based on dish complexity and kitchen setup.
Benchmarks for dark kitchen margins
Dark kitchen margins follow different patterns than traditional restaurant operations:
- Total margin after all costs: 15-25%
- Food cost (including packaging): 35-45%
- Platform fees: 15-30% of revenue
- Labor costs: 20-30% of revenue
⚠️ Note:
Dark kitchen margins look lower than restaurant margins, but you're also operating with reduced fixed costs (no dining space rent, no front-of-house labor).
How do you calculate dark kitchen margin? (step by step)
Calculate your net revenue
Subtract the platform fee from your selling price. With a €15 order value and 20% platform fee you're left with €12 net revenue. This is your actual income per order.
Add up all costs
Calculate ingredients, packaging and labor costs per portion together. Don't forget sauce containers, cutlery or labels. A typical order costs €6-9 in total costs.
Calculate your margin percentage
Use the formula: ((Net revenue - Total costs) / Net revenue) × 100. With €12 net revenue and €8 costs you get 33% margin.
✨ Pro tip
Track your margin performance across 30-day periods for each platform separately. Deliveroo's fee structure differs from Uber Eats, creating margin variations of 3-8% between platforms for identical dishes.
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 is my dark kitchen margin lower than my restaurant margin?
Platform fees consume 15-30% of revenue immediately, while packaging adds another cost layer restaurants avoid. However, you're also eliminating dining room rent and service staff expenses.
Should I include VAT in my margin calculation?
Never include VAT in margin calculations. Food carries 9% VAT in most jurisdictions. Subtract VAT first, then platform fees, then calculate your actual margin.
How often should I check my dark kitchen margin?
Review your top 5 dishes weekly minimum. Platform fee structures change, ingredient costs fluctuate, and packaging prices shift regularly. If margins drop below 15%, immediate price adjustments become necessary.
Can I use different margins per platform?
Absolutely - most successful dark kitchens adjust pricing by platform. Higher platform fees justify higher menu prices to maintain consistent margins across all delivery channels.
📚 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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