RevPASH (Revenue Per Available Seat Hour) shows how much you earn per seat per hour. This powerful KPI combines revenue, capacity and time into one metric. Most restaurant owners focus solely on total revenue, missing opportunities to optimize their seating capacity.
What exactly is RevPASH?
RevPASH stands for Revenue Per Available Seat Hour. It measures how much revenue you generate per available seat per hour. This metric reveals how efficiently you're using your restaurant's seating capacity.
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 40 seats, open 8 hours per day:
- Daily revenue: €3,200
- Available seats: 40
- Hours open: 8 hours
RevPASH: €3,200 / (40 × 8) = €10 per seat per hour
The RevPASH formula
The calculation is straightforward but revealing:
RevPASH = Total revenue / (Number of seats × Number of hours open)
You can calculate this daily, weekly or monthly. The key is staying consistent with your time period across comparisons.
Why RevPASH matters
RevPASH reveals three critical factors simultaneously:
- Capacity utilization: How many seats are filled?
- Average check value: How much guests spend per visit
- Table turnover speed: How quickly tables flip
Improving RevPASH generates more revenue without increasing rent or staffing costs.
⚠️ Note:
Only count seats actually available for guests. Don't include seats used for storage or those that are broken.
RevPASH benchmarks by restaurant type
Typical RevPASH values vary by concept:
- Fast casual: €8-12 per seat per hour
- Casual dining: €12-18 per seat per hour
- Fine dining: €15-25 per seat per hour
- Lunch restaurants: €6-10 per seat per hour
These are benchmarks, not targets. Your location, pricing strategy and concept determine what's achievable for your specific situation.
💡 Comparison example:
Restaurant A and B both generate €2,000 daily revenue:
- Restaurant A: 50 seats, 10 hours open = RevPASH €4
- Restaurant B: 30 seats, 8 hours open = RevPASH €8.33
Restaurant B operates far more efficiently, despite identical revenue.
Improving RevPASH: three strategies
You can boost RevPASH through three approaches:
1. Higher average check value
- Upselling appetizers and beverages
- Menu engineering: highlighting profitable dishes
- Seasonal specials with better margins
2. Faster table turnover
- Streamlined service and kitchen workflows
- Reservation system preventing overbooking
- Express lunch menus for quicker preparation
3. Better occupancy rate
- Targeted marketing for slow periods
- Happy hours and lunch promotions
- Simplified online reservation process
Analyze RevPASH by time slot
Don't just track overall RevPASH - break it down by time periods:
- Lunch (12:00-15:00): Typically lower RevPASH due to faster turnover, smaller checks
- Early dinner (18:00-20:00): Usually peak RevPASH performance
- Late dinner (20:00-22:00): Higher check values, but slower table turns
💡 Real-world example:
Bistro with 25 seats analyzes RevPASH by time:
- Lunch (3 hours): €450 revenue = RevPASH €6
- Dinner (4 hours): €1,200 revenue = RevPASH €12
Result: lunch requires attention, dinner performs well.
RevPASH in your daily routine
From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, successful operators integrate RevPASH into weekly reviews:
- Calculate average RevPASH weekly
- Compare against previous week and same week last year
- Identify top and bottom performing days
- Spot patterns: which factors drive your RevPASH changes?
Management systems can automate these calculations and display trends without manual number-crunching.
How do you calculate RevPASH? (step by step)
Gather your revenue data
Get your cash register data from a specific period (day, week or month). Add up all revenue, including beverages and sides. Always use revenue including VAT for this calculation.
Count your available seats
Count the number of seats that are actually available for guests. Don't count seats used for storage, broken seats, or seats otherwise unavailable for guests during operating hours.
Calculate your operating hours
Count the number of hours your restaurant was open in the same period as your revenue data. For a week: add up all operating hours from all days.
Apply the RevPASH formula
Divide your total revenue by (number of seats × number of operating hours). The result is your RevPASH: the revenue per available seat per hour for that period.
Compare with benchmarks
Compare your RevPASH with common values for your restaurant type. Fast casual: €8-12, casual dining: €12-18, fine dining: €15-25 per seat per hour as a guideline.
✨ Pro tip
Track your RevPASH separately for lunch versus dinner periods over the next 30 days. You'll often discover lunch has 40-50% more improvement potential than dinner service.
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
Should I include VAT in the RevPASH calculation?
Yes, always use revenue including VAT for RevPASH calculations. This reflects actual cash flow and ensures consistency with other restaurants using the same methodology.
What is a good RevPASH for my restaurant?
This varies by concept type. Fast casual typically achieves €8-12 per seat per hour, casual dining €12-18, and fine dining €15-25. Your location and pricing strategy determine realistic targets for your specific situation.
Should I count bar stools in the seat count?
Yes, include all seating where guests can order food and drinks. Bar stools count toward your total, but standing tables without fixed seating don't.
How can I improve my RevPASH quickly?
Focus on the area with most potential: boost average check values through upselling, accelerate table turnover with streamlined service, or fill empty seats during slow periods with targeted promotions. Start with your weakest area first.
📚 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 →