A monthly KPI report gives you control over your restaurant without needing an accounting background. Most restaurant owners either drown in spreadsheets or ignore the numbers completely. But tracking just 5 key figures monthly gives you the financial clarity to make smart decisions fast.
The 5 essential KPIs for your monthly report
Skip the complicated accounting - these 5 numbers tell the real story of your restaurant's health:
- Revenue per day - your daily earning power
- Food cost percentage - what portion goes to ingredients
- Number of covers - guest count per day
- Average check value - spending per guest
- Gross margin - what remains after ingredient costs
💡 Example KPI overview March:
Restaurant The Taste Masters, 31 days:
- Total revenue: €45,000
- Ingredient costs: €14,400
- Number of covers: 1,240
- Working days: 26
Revenue per day: €1,731 | Food cost: 32% | Covers/day: 48 | Check value: €36.29
How do you calculate these figures without complicated accounting?
Your POS system and daily notes contain everything you need. No fancy software required:
Revenue per working day:
Total monthly revenue ÷ number of working days = average daily revenue
Food cost percentage:
(Total ingredient costs ÷ total revenue excl. VAT) × 100
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate your food cost with revenue EXCLUDING VAT. If €45,000 incl. 9% VAT, that's €41,284 excl. VAT. Otherwise your food cost looks lower than it actually is.
Average check value:
Total revenue ÷ number of covers = what each guest spends on average
Gross margin in euros:
Total revenue - ingredient costs = what's left for staff, rent, and profit
Spotting trends: compare with last month
One month's data means nothing. But month-to-month comparisons reveal everything:
- Is your average check climbing or sliding?
- Are guest numbers growing or shrinking?
- Is food cost creeping up or staying steady?
💡 Example trend analysis:
February vs. March comparison:
- Covers: 42/day → 48/day (+14%)
- Check value: €38.50 → €36.29 (-6%)
- Food cost: 29% → 32% (+3 percentage points)
Conclusion: More guests, but they're spending less and food cost is rising. Check supplier prices and portion sizes.
Signals to watch for
Your KPIs act like warning lights on a dashboard. Here's what each signal means:
Food cost rising: Suppliers hiked prices, portions grew bigger, or waste increased.
Check value dropping: Guests order less, or you're pushing too many low-margin items.
Fewer covers: Seasonal dip, new competition, or service issues need attention.
Gross margin per day dropping: You're making less money daily. This mistake costs the average restaurant EUR 200-400 per month when left unchecked - usually from rising ingredient costs that aren't reflected in menu prices quickly enough.
Digital vs. manual tracking
Plenty of restaurant owners track these numbers in Excel or notebooks. It works, but takes time and invites calculation mistakes.
Food cost management tools like KitchenNmbrs automatically crunch your food cost per dish and display key KPIs without manual math. Especially helpful when you're juggling multiple suppliers with changing prices.
⚠️ Note:
A report is only useful if you take action on it. Schedule 30 minutes each month to review your figures and decide what you'll adjust.
How do you put together a monthly KPI report? (step by step)
Gather your basic data
Pull from your POS system: total monthly revenue, number of transactions/covers, number of working days. Collect all supplier invoices for ingredients (meat, fish, vegetables, dairy, etc.).
Calculate your 5 core KPIs
Revenue per day = total revenue ÷ working days. Food cost = (ingredient costs ÷ revenue excl. VAT) × 100. Check value = revenue ÷ number of covers. Add everything to a simple overview.
Compare with last month and take action
Put the figures next to last month's. What trends do you see? Food cost rising = check supplier prices. Check value dropping = analyze your menu. Plan concrete actions for the coming month.
✨ Pro tip
Track food cost on your top 5 dishes every 2 weeks instead of monthly. These dishes drive 70% of your ingredient spend, so catching problems here early saves serious money.
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
What's a good food cost for my type of restaurant?
Most restaurants should target 28-35% food cost. Fine dining can stretch to 38%, while fast-casual often hits 25-30%. But consistency matters more than hitting a perfect number - watch for sudden spikes that signal trouble.
Should I include VAT in my calculations?
Never include VAT in food cost calculations. Your revenue includes 9% VAT, but for cost analysis you only count the net amount. Including VAT makes your food cost look artificially low and masks real problems.
What if my food cost suddenly gets much higher?
Check supplier invoices first - did prices jump? Then examine portion sizes and waste levels. Usually it's multiple factors hitting at once, so tackle them one by one starting with the biggest cost driver.
How do I know if my average check value is good?
Bistros typically see €25-40 per person, fine dining €50-80+. But your trend matters more than industry averages - is your check value climbing or falling, and what's driving the change?
📚 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 →