Emotion and numbers often clash in the kitchen. You feel things are going well, but the numbers say otherwise. Or you think a dish is losing money, when it's actually a goldmine. An objective system helps you test that emotional assessment against the hard reality of your food cost and margins.
Why emotion and numbers clash
As a business owner, you have a feeling about your operation. You see which dishes are popular, which guests love them, what you're proud of. But that feeling doesn't always match what's happening in your bank account.
💡 Example:
Your signature burger is your pride. Guests love it, your chef makes it with passion. But the numbers:
- Ingredient costs: €8.50
- Selling price: €18.50 incl. VAT (€16.97 excl.)
- Food cost: 50.1%
You're losing money on every burger you sell.
Without objective numbers, you keep promoting dishes that eat into your profit. Or you stop dishes that are actually making good money.
What an objective system shows you
A system that automatically calculates your food cost reveals reality without emotion:
- Which dishes actually make profit - often not what you think
- Where you're losing money - usually on your favorite creations
- Impact of small adjustments - 20 grams less meat can save €2,000/year
- Trends in your costs - rising ingredient prices you're not passing on
⚠️ Watch out:
Popularity doesn't mean profitability. Your best-selling dish can be your biggest loss.
Emotion vs. reality: concrete examples
Here's how feeling and numbers can clash:
💡 Example: The loss-maker
Your feeling: "Our ribeye is fantastic, guests order it all the time."
The numbers:
- Sold: 80x per month
- Loss per portion: €3.20
- Monthly loss: €256
- Annual loss: €3,072
Popular, but a financial disaster.
💡 Example: The hidden winner
Your feeling: "That simple pasta hardly anyone orders."
The numbers:
- Food cost: 18%
- Profit per portion: €11.20
- Sold: 25x per month = €280 profit
Low volume, but high margin. Promoting it could pay off.
How a system helps you steer
With objective numbers, you can balance emotion and reality:
- Make conscious choices - promote profitable dishes
- Adjust prices - based on real costs, not feeling
- Optimize recipes - small adjustments, big impact
- Menu engineering - put popular and profitable dishes front and center
Your emotion and passion remain important for taste and creativity. But let numbers determine what's financially smart.
KitchenNmbrs: objectivity without the hassle
KitchenNmbrs automatically calculates your food cost per dish. You see right away which dishes make profit and which are losing money. No Excel, no guesswork - just the numbers as they are.
That way you can use your emotion and experience where it belongs: creating amazing dishes that also make money.
How do you balance emotion and numbers?
Calculate your real food cost per dish
Add up all ingredient costs and divide by your selling price excl. VAT. Multiply by 100 for the percentage. Do this for all your dishes, even the ones you're 'sure' are profitable.
Compare popularity with profitability
Make a list of your 10 best-selling dishes and put the food cost next to them. You'll be surprised which popular dishes are actually losing money.
Make decisions based on numbers
Adjust or remove dishes above 35% food cost. Promote dishes below 25% food cost more. Your emotion determines the taste, numbers determine what stays on the menu.
✨ Pro tip
Check your 5 best-selling dishes for food cost every month. If those are solid, you've got 80% of your profitability under control.
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
Do I have to remove my favorite dish from the menu?
Not necessarily. Try first to lower the cost by reducing portions, using cheaper ingredients, or raising the selling price. Only remove it from the menu as a last resort.
How often should I check my food cost?
At least monthly for all your dishes. When ingredient prices are rising or you change suppliers, check more often. With a system like KitchenNmbrs you see it in real-time.
Can't I just keep cooking by feel?
Feel is important for taste and creativity. But without numbers you don't know if you're making or losing money. Combine both for the best result.
What if an unprofitable dish is very popular?
Then you have two options: raise the price or lower the costs. Popular dishes can often handle a higher price without losing customers.
How do I prevent numbers from limiting my creativity?
Use numbers as a framework, not a limitation. Develop a great dish first, then calculate the cost and adjust if needed. Creativity within financial boundaries.
⚠️ EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Allergen Information — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj
The allergen information on this page is based on EU Regulation 1169/2011. Recipes and ingredients may vary by supplier. Always verify current allergen information with your supplier and communicate this correctly to your guests. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for allergic reactions.
In the UK, the FSA enforces allergen regulations under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
📚 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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