While many restaurant owners walk into advisor meetings empty-handed, smart operators come armed with hard data. Generic advice won't fix your specific problems. But present the right KPIs, and you'll get targeted solutions that actually move your profit needle.
Which KPIs do you need for a good conversation?
A hospitality coach can only help you if they understand where you stand. You need to have these figures ready:
- Food cost percentage per dish and on average
- Labor cost percentage of your revenue
- Average check value per guest
- Break-even point in covers per day
- Revenue per square meter of your establishment
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 60 seats, annual revenue €450,000:
- Food cost: 32% (too high)
- Labor cost: 38% (too high)
- Average check: €28.50
- Break-even: 45 covers/day
- Revenue per m²: €3,200/year
Coach immediately sees: food cost and labor cost need to come down.
How do you present your figures clearly?
Don't throw all your figures together. Structure them by topic:
Financial performance (last 12 months):
- Annual revenue and trend (increasing/decreasing?)
- Average monthly revenue
- Best and worst month
- Overall food cost percentage
- Labor cost percentage
Operational figures:
- Average number of covers per day/week
- Average check value
- Number of working days per week
- Number of FTE (full-time equivalents) staff
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate excluding VAT when talking about margins. Your menu is priced including VAT, but you calculate your food cost excluding VAT.
What questions do you ask your advisor?
With your KPIs on the table, you can ask targeted questions:
About food cost:
- "My food cost is 32%, what are realistic steps to get to 28%?"
- "Which 3 dishes should I tackle first?"
- "How often should I adjust my prices?"
About labor cost:
- "38% labor cost, where can I become more efficient?"
- "Do I need fewer staff or more revenue?"
- "How do I schedule better based on my busy periods?"
💡 Example conversation:
"Coach, here are my figures from last year:"
- Revenue: €380,000
- Food cost: 34%
- Labor cost: 42%
- Average check: €24
"Where do you see the biggest opportunities? And what are realistic targets for next year?"
How do you prepare for follow-up conversations?
After the first conversation, you'll get recommendations. Measure the impact:
- Track your KPIs monthly
- Note which actions you've taken
- Calculate the effect per action
- Come to the next conversation with concrete results
This shows you're serious and helps your coach guide you better. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've learned that chefs who track their changes religiously get 3x better results from coaching sessions.
Digital KPI tracking for coach conversations
Manually tracking all these figures takes a lot of time. A system like KitchenNmbrs automatically calculates your food cost per dish, tracks your average check value, and gives you insight into trends over time.
This way you always come well-prepared to your coach conversations and get advice that truly fits your situation.
How do you prepare your KPIs for a coach conversation? (step by step)
Gather basic financial data
Pull your revenue figures from the last 12 months from your POS system. Calculate your average monthly revenue and spot trends. Also note your food cost percentage and labor cost percentage.
Calculate operational KPIs
Count your average number of covers per day and calculate your average check value (revenue divided by number of covers). Also determine how many FTE staff you have and your break-even point.
Structure your questions
Make a list of specific questions per KPI. For example: 'My food cost is X%, how do I get to Y%?' or 'At X covers per day I break even, how can I lower this?'
✨ Pro tip
Compile your last 6 months of KPI data into a single PDF and email it 48 hours before your meeting. Your coach can spot patterns and come prepared with specific solutions.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Was this article helpful?
Frequently asked questions
Which KPIs are most important for a first coach conversation?
Food cost percentage, labor cost percentage, and average check value. These three immediately give a coach insight into your profitability and where the biggest opportunities lie.
Should I also bring benchmark data to a coach?
Yes, but let the coach make the comparison. Share your own figures and ask: 'How do these compare to similar establishments?' Coaches often have better benchmark data than you can find yourself.
What if I can't calculate all the KPIs?
Start with what you do have. A good coach will help you figure out the missing figures and set up systems to track everything.
⚠️ EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Allergen Information — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj
The allergen information on this page is based on EU Regulation 1169/2011. Recipes and ingredients may vary by supplier. Always verify current allergen information with your supplier and communicate this correctly to your guests. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for allergic reactions.
In the UK, the FSA enforces allergen regulations under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
📚 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.
All your financial KPIs in one dashboard
Food cost percentage, gross margin, revenue per cover — KitchenNmbrs calculates it all automatically based on your recipes and purchases. Start your free trial.
Start free trial →