Most restaurant owners think they know their costs, but they're missing a crucial piece. You track food costs religiously, but what about the €15-25 your kitchen burns through every hour just staying open? Here's how to calculate the real hourly cost of running your kitchen.
What are kitchen costs per hour?
Kitchen costs per hour show exactly how much money your kitchen burns through for every hour you're open. It's your baseline - the minimum revenue needed just to keep the lights on and staff paid.
These costs break down into two categories:
- Fixed costs: Rent, insurance, depreciation - expenses that hit you regardless of serving 10 guests or 100
- Variable costs: Staff wages, energy bills, cleaning supplies - costs that scale with your operating hours
Gather all your fixed costs
Start by listing every monthly expense that doesn't change based on customer volume:
💡 Example fixed costs per month:
- Kitchen rent: €2,400
- Insurance: €180
- Equipment depreciation: €650
- Accountant/administration: €120
- Software subscriptions: €85
Total fixed costs: €3,435 per month
Focus exclusively on kitchen-only expenses. Dining room costs belong in a separate calculation.
Calculate variable costs per opening hour
Variable costs depend entirely on how many hours you operate. Staff wages typically dominate this category.
💡 Example variable costs per hour:
- Chef (€18/hour): €18
- Kitchen assistant (€12/hour): €12
- Kitchen energy: €8
- Cleaning/dishwashing: €4
- Packaging materials: €3
Total variable: €45 per hour
⚠️ Note:
Always use total employment costs, including social contributions. That €15/hour chef actually costs you €18-19/hour all-in.
Convert fixed costs to hourly rate
Transform your monthly fixed costs into an hourly rate by dividing by total operating hours per month. This catches many restaurant owners off-guard.
Formula: Fixed costs per hour = Fixed costs per month ÷ Operating hours per month
💡 Example calculation:
Restaurant open 6 days weekly, 8 hours daily:
- Operating hours per week: 6 × 8 = 48 hours
- Operating hours per month: 48 × 4.33 = 208 hours
- Fixed costs per hour: €3,435 ÷ 208 = €16.51
This is a mistake that costs the average restaurant EUR 200-400 per month: they forget these fixed costs keep running during slow periods, turning what looks like profitable hours into losses.
Add everything up for total costs per hour
Your complete kitchen cost per hour combines both fixed and variable expenses.
Formula: Total kitchen costs per hour = Fixed costs per hour + Variable costs per hour
💡 Total example:
- Fixed costs per hour: €16.51
- Variable costs per hour: €45.00
Total kitchen costs: €61.51 per hour
So your kitchen burns through €61.51 every hour you're open - before selling a single dish.
What does this mean for your break-even?
Now you can calculate minimum hourly revenue needed to cover kitchen operations.
With a 65% gross margin (35% food cost), you'd need €61.51 ÷ 0.65 = €94.63 in hourly revenue just to break even on kitchen costs.
⚠️ Note:
This covers kitchen costs only. You still need revenue for dining room expenses, marketing, and profit.
Use this figure for decision-making
Armed with hourly costs, you can make smarter operational choices:
- Opening hours: Should you stay open Monday evenings?
- Catering rates: What's your minimum hourly charge for events?
- Delivery economics: How many orders justify staying open?
- Staffing decisions: Can you reduce staff during quiet periods?
Tracking hourly kitchen costs gives you control over profitability in real-time, not just at month-end.
How do you calculate kitchen costs per hour? (step by step)
Make a list of all your fixed monthly costs
Write down all costs that keep running even when you're closed: rent, insurance, depreciation, software, accountant. Only include kitchen-related costs, no dining room costs.
Calculate variable costs per opening hour
Work out what an average opening hour costs in staff, energy, cleaning and materials. Use gross wage costs including employer contributions.
Convert fixed costs to hourly rate
Divide your total fixed monthly costs by the number of hours your kitchen is open per month. Use realistic opening hours, not theoretical maximums.
Add fixed and variable costs per hour
Your total kitchen costs per hour = fixed costs per hour + variable costs per hour. Use this figure for break-even calculations and pricing.
✨ Pro tip
Track your hourly costs for 3 months before making staffing decisions - most owners underestimate the impact by 20-30%. That single kitchen hire can shift your break-even by €20 per hour.
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 include dining room costs in kitchen costs per hour?
No, keep kitchen and dining room costs separate. Only include kitchen-specific expenses like cooking equipment, kitchen staff, and food prep areas. This gives you cleaner data for kitchen-only decisions.
How often should I recalculate my costs per hour?
Review every quarter or after major changes like wage increases, new equipment purchases, or adjusted operating hours. Energy costs can swing significantly, so track those monthly.
What if my kitchen handles both dine-in and catering?
Calculate separate hourly rates for each operation. Catering often allows higher margins since you control timing and staffing more flexibly than regular service hours.
Are €60+ per hour normal kitchen costs?
Depends on your operation and location. Small bistros typically run €40-60 hourly, while fine dining can hit €80-120 due to specialized staff and premium equipment.
📚 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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