Picture this: you've calculated ingredient costs down to the penny, but your profit margins keep shrinking. Most restaurant owners overlook cleaning and dishwashing expenses, yet every washed plate and scrubbed pan adds real costs to your operation. These hidden expenses need precise calculation and inclusion in your total cost pricing.
Why cleaning and dishwashing should count
Cleaning and dishwashing aren't free - they just feel that way. You're paying for water, detergents, dishwasher energy, and staff time. These expenses typically consume 3-8% of total revenue.
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 100 covers per day, 6 days per week:
- Dishwashing liquid: €150/month
- Extra water consumption: €80/month
- Dishwasher energy: €120/month
- Cleaning supplies: €100/month
Total: €450/month = €5,400/year
That's 31,200 covers annually, meaning €0.17 extra per guest. Seems minor? It's not.
The different cost types
Cleaning and dishwashing involve several expense categories:
- Direct material costs: dishwashing liquid, cleaning supplies, cloths
- Energy costs: dishwasher, hot water, steam cleaning
- Water costs: extra consumption for dishwashing and cleaning
- Labor costs: time your staff spends cleaning
Calculate material costs per cover
Start by tracking monthly cleaning supply purchases. Include everything used in kitchen and service areas.
💡 Example calculation:
Monthly material costs:
- Dishwasher liquid: €60
- Hand dishwashing liquid: €25
- All-purpose cleaner: €30
- Cloths and sponges: €40
- Garbage bags: €35
Total: €190/month
With 2,600 covers/month = €0.073 per cover
Add this €0.073 to every dish's cost price.
Estimate energy and water costs
Energy and water require estimation based on equipment usage patterns.
- Dishwasher: average €0.50-1.00 per cycle
- Hot water: approximately 30% of your total water bill
- Extra electricity: 15-20% on top of normal kitchen equipment
⚠️ Note:
Don't include baseline energy and water costs - only additional consumption from dishwashing and cleaning activities.
Labor costs for cleaning
After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've learned that time costs add up fast. Calculate cleaning hours and multiply by hourly wages.
💡 Example labor costs:
Daily cleaning time:
- Dishwashing during service: 4 hours × €15/hour = €60
- Kitchen end-of-day cleaning: 1.5 hours × €15/hour = €22.50
- Dining area cleaning: 1 hour × €15/hour = €15
Total: €97.50 per day
With 100 covers = €0.975 per cover
Total cleaning costs per dish
Combine all components for complete cleaning costs per cover:
- Material costs: €0.073
- Energy and water: €0.12 (estimate)
- Labor costs: €0.975
- Total: €1.17 per cover
Add €1.17 to ingredient costs for each dish. So a dish with €8.00 in ingredients becomes €9.17 total cost.
Integration into your cost price calculation
Treat cleaning costs as fixed per-dish expenses, similar to ingredients. Most restaurants use a standard amount per cover.
⚠️ Note:
Recalculate cleaning costs every 3-6 months. Supply and energy prices change frequently.
Systems like KitchenNmbrs automatically include these fixed costs in every calculation, preventing oversight.
How do you calculate cleaning costs? (step by step)
Gather all monthly cleaning expenses
Add up what you spend on dishwashing liquid, cleaning supplies, cloths, sponges, and garbage bags. Check your invoices from the last 3 months for an average.
Estimate energy and water costs
Calculate €0.50-1.00 per dishwasher cycle and add 30% of your water bill. This gives you the extra costs from dishwashing and cleaning.
Calculate labor costs for cleaning
Count the hours your team spends on dishwashing and cleaning per day. Multiply by the hourly wage including employer contributions.
Divide by number of covers per month
Add up all costs and divide by your average number of covers per month. This gives you the cleaning costs per served dish.
Add to every cost price calculation
Add this amount to the ingredient costs of each dish. This way you get the actual cost price including all hidden costs.
✨ Pro tip
Track your dishwasher's actual cycle count for 30 days - most restaurants overestimate usage by 40%. This precise data helps you calculate energy costs within €10 monthly accuracy.
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
Should I calculate cleaning costs differently per dish?
No, use one fixed amount per cover. A salad requires just as much dishwashing (plate, cutlery, bowl) as a steak. Only for buffets or takeaway can you use lower costs.
How often should I recalculate my cleaning costs?
Every 3-6 months, or if you notice your spending on cleaning supplies or energy rises significantly. Prices for chemicals and energy fluctuate regularly.
What if I use an external cleaning service?
Then you calculate the monthly cost of that service divided by your number of covers. Plus the daily dishwashing costs your staff still does.
📚 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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