A 150-seat restaurant in Amsterdam reduced their prime cost from 62% to 57% simply by standardizing portion sizes across their top 8 dishes. This saved them €25,000 annually through reduced waste and faster kitchen operations. You can calculate your own potential savings using the same approach they did.
What is the cost impact of portion standardization?
Prime cost is your food cost + labor cost combined. For restaurants, this typically falls between 55-65% of your revenue. Portion standardization affects both:
- Food cost drops: Less waste, consistent portions
- Labor cost drops: Faster work, less discussion in the kitchen
- Guest experience improves: The same plate every time, fewer complaints
? Example: Restaurant with €500,000 revenue
Without standardization:
- Prime cost: 62% = €310,000
- Food cost: 34% due to inconsistent portions
- Labor cost: 28% due to inefficiency
With standardization:
- Prime cost: 57% = €285,000
- Food cost: 30% due to consistent portions
- Labor cost: 27% due to efficiency
Savings: €25,000 per year
Measure your current portion variation
Before you start, you need to know how much variation exists now. Measure your most popular dishes for a week:
- Weigh 20 portions of the same dish
- Record the weight per portion
- Calculate the average and the spread
⚠️ Note:
Measure at different times: lunch, dinner, busy evenings. Portions often vary more under stress.
Formula for cost savings per dish
For each dish, calculate the potential savings with this formula:
Savings per year = (Current average portion - Standard portion) × Purchase price/kg × Number of portions/year
? Example: Steak
Current situation:
- Average portion: 220 grams
- Desired standard: 200 grams
- Purchase price beef: €24/kg
- Sales: 1,500 portions/year
Calculation:
(220g - 200g) × €0.024 × 1,500 = €720/year savings
Calculate labor cost impact
Standardized portions make your kitchen team faster. Calculate this savings:
- Time per dish: How many seconds does standardization save?
- Kitchen hourly wage: Average €15-18/hour including employer contributions
- Number of dishes: Per day and per year
? Example: Time savings
Situation:
- Savings: 15 seconds per dish
- Hourly wage: €17/hour
- Dishes: 150/day, 300 days/year = 45,000/year
Calculation:
15 sec × 45,000 = 675,000 sec = 187.5 hours × €17 = €3,188/year
Include implementation costs
Standardization also costs money. Factor in these costs for a fair ROI:
- Staff training: 2-4 hours × number of employees × hourly wage
- New portioning tools: Scoops, scales, measuring cups
- Recipe documentation: Time to record everything
From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, typical implementation costs run €1,500 - €3,000 one-time for an average restaurant. But the payback happens fast.
Calculate total prime cost impact
Add up all savings for your total impact:
- Food cost savings: Sum of all dishes
- Labor cost savings: Time savings × hourly wage
- Implementation costs: Deduct from first year
? Example: Total calculation
Restaurant with €500,000 revenue:
- Food cost savings: €15,000/year
- Labor cost savings: €8,000/year
- Implementation costs: €2,500 one-time
Net savings year 1: €20,500
Prime cost improvement: 4.1%
How do you calculate the cost impact? (step by step)
Measure your current portion variation
For a week, weigh 20 portions of your 5 most popular dishes. Record the weight and calculate the average per dish. This is your baseline.
Determine your standard portions
Choose a fixed portion size for each dish. Usually 10-15% below your current average. Check if this still feels like a full experience.
Calculate food cost savings per dish
Use the formula: (Current average - Standard) × Purchase price/kg × Number of portions/year. Add up all dishes for your total food cost savings.
Calculate labor cost savings
Estimate how many seconds you save per dish through standardization. Multiply by number of dishes/year and kitchen hourly wage for your labor savings.
Deduct implementation costs
Calculate what training, tools, and documentation cost. Deduct this from your first year savings for your net ROI.
✨ Pro tip
Track your protein portions for 2 weeks before standardizing - these give you 70% of your potential savings. A 20-gram oversized salmon fillet costs €1.20 extra per plate, while oversized vegetables might only cost €0.15.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Calculate it yourself?
Our free food cost calculator does it in seconds.
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Frequently asked questions
How much percent can I save on my prime cost?
How long does it take to recoup the investment?
What if my guests notice the smaller portions?
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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