Think of industry benchmarks as your restaurant's report card - they show exactly where you rank among your peers. Most operators run blind, never knowing if their 32% food cost is brilliant or terrible. Without these reference points, you're essentially flying without instruments.
The most important restaurant KPIs to compare
Not all numbers deserve equal attention. These 5 core metrics reveal your true competitive position:
- Food cost percentage: How much of your revenue goes to ingredients
- Labor cost percentage: How much of your revenue goes to staff
- Average check value: How much a guest spends on average
- Revenue per square meter: How efficiently you use your space
- EBITDA percentage: Your profit before interest, depreciation, and taxes
? Example food cost calculation:
Restaurant with €50,000 monthly revenue:
- Ingredient costs: €16,000
- Food cost: €16,000 / €50,000 = 32%
Compare with industry benchmark: 28-35%
Where to find reliable industry data
You'll discover solid comparison data from these trusted sources:
- KHN (Royal Hospitality Netherlands): Publishes annual industry report with averages
- CBS (Central Bureau of Statistics): Official figures on hospitality revenue and margins
- Trade publications: Misset Horeca, Horecava Magazine regularly publish benchmarks
- Accounting firms: Many firms share anonymous industry figures
⚠️ Note:
Always compare apples to apples. A fine dining restaurant operates with completely different economics than a pizzeria or café.
Common benchmarks by restaurant type
These figures provide realistic targets for different business models:
Casual dining restaurants:
- Food cost: 28-35%
- Labor cost: 25-35%
- Average check: €25-45
- EBITDA: 8-15%
Fine dining:
- Food cost: 28-32%
- Labor cost: 30-40%
- Average check: €60-120
- EBITDA: 10-18%
Fast casual / bistro:
- Food cost: 25-32%
- Labor cost: 20-30%
- Average check: €15-30
- EBITDA: 12-20%
? Example comparison:
Your bistro figures vs. industry benchmark:
- Your food cost: 36% vs. benchmark 25-32%
- Your labor cost: 28% vs. benchmark 20-30%
- Your average check: €22 vs. benchmark €15-30
Conclusion: Food cost too high, rest within normal range
How to interpret the comparison
Deviations from industry averages usually point to specific operational issues. Something most kitchen managers discover too late is that multiple KPIs often connect - fix one, and others improve automatically.
Food cost higher than average:
- Overly generous portions or expensive ingredients
- Excessive waste or poor inventory management
- Prices haven't kept pace with cost increases
- No systematic recipe costing
Labor cost higher than average:
- Inefficient scheduling or overstaffing
- Premium wages for experienced workers
- Excessive overtime or administrative burden
Average check lower than average:
- Menu engineering needs work (not promoting profitable dishes)
- Missing upselling opportunities on sides or beverages
- Conservative pricing strategy
Take action based on the comparison
Use benchmark gaps to prioritize improvements. Attack the largest deviation first:
? Example action plan:
If your food cost runs 5 percentage points above benchmark:
- At €300,000 annual revenue = €15,000 in excess costs
- Audit your top 5 sellers first
- Calculate exact cost price including garnish
- Adjust portions or prices where needed
Food cost calculators like KitchenNmbrs display your KPIs instantly, making benchmark comparisons effortless. You'll track progress against your own history and industry targets without manual calculations.
How do you compare your KPIs with industry benchmarks? (step by step)
Calculate your own KPIs over the last 3 months
Gather your revenue figures, ingredient costs, wage costs, and other fixed costs. Calculate food cost %, labor cost %, and average check value. Use at least 3 months of data for a reliable picture.
Find relevant industry benchmarks for your type of business
Use KHN reports, CBS data, or trade publications to find figures that match your concept. Make sure you're comparing with the same type of restaurant (casual dining, fine dining, fast casual).
Analyze the biggest deviations and set priorities
Look at where you deviate most from the industry average. Start with the KPI that has the biggest financial impact. A food cost that's 5% too high costs more than an average check that's €2 too low.
✨ Pro tip
Target the KPI with your biggest financial gap first. Track your top 3 deviations monthly for 90 days - you'll often see one improvement cascade into others.
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
How often should I compare my KPIs with industry figures?
What if my labor cost is consistently 8% above industry average?
Should I worry if my EBITDA beats industry benchmarks by 5%?
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
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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