Ever wondered how much money you're leaving on the table with seasonal supplier discounts? Most restaurant owners receive these offers but fail to adjust their standard food costs properly. You could be missing hundreds of euros in profit each month just by not processing these discounts correctly.
Why seasonal discounts matter for your margin
Suppliers often offer 10-30% discounts on seasonal products. For example: asparagus in May, pumpkin in October, or citrus fruits in winter. If you don't factor these discounts into your food cost, you're missing hundreds of euros in profit per month.
? Example:
You sell a pumpkin soup for €8.50. Normally pumpkin costs €2.80/kg, in October you get a 25% discount:
- Normal pumpkin price: €2.80/kg
- Seasonal price October: €2.10/kg
- Savings per portion (200g): €0.14
At 150 portions per month: €21 extra profit per month
Two strategies for seasonal discounts
You have two options for handling seasonal discounts:
- Strategy 1: Lower menu price during season (more volume)
- Strategy 2: Keep menu price the same (higher margin)
Both can work, depending on your target audience and competition. Strategy 2 is often smarter because guests expect seasonal products and are willing to pay the regular price.
How do you calculate the impact on your food cost?
Always measure the impact before making decisions. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen seasonal discounts improve food costs by 2-5 percentage points on seasonal dishes alone.
? Example calculation:
Asparagus risotto, selling price €18.50 (€16.97 excl. VAT):
- Normal ingredient costs: €6.20 → food cost 36.5%
- With 20% asparagus discount: €5.80 → food cost 34.2%
- Difference: 2.3 percentage points better margin
€0.40 more profit per portion
Timing: adjust your costs immediately
Adjust your food cost as soon as you receive the seasonal discount, not at the end of the season. Many business owners forget this and miss weeks of profit.
⚠️ Watch out:
Make sure your team knows when seasonal discounts start and stop. Otherwise they'll use the old, more expensive price in their calculations for weeks.
Administration: track both standard and seasonal prices
Distinguish between your standard food cost and seasonal food cost. This prevents confusion when the season ends.
- Note the start and end date of the discount
- Keep both prices (normal and seasonal)
- Communicate changes to your team
- Check weekly if discounts are still valid
A food cost management system helps you maintain different prices per season without having to remember when which price applies.
What happens after the season ends?
Switch your food cost back to the normal price immediately when the discount stops. Many restaurants forget this and calculate with a food cost that's too low for weeks, causing them to unknowingly operate at a loss.
? Pro tip:
Add a reminder to your calendar for when seasonal discounts end. Check your food costs that day and adjust where needed. This prevents unpleasant surprises.
How do you apply a seasonal discount? (step by step)
Check the new purchase price and calculate impact
Ask your supplier for the exact discount percentages and validity period. Calculate how much you save per portion and what this means for your food cost percentage.
Update your food cost administration
Adjust the ingredient price in your system and note the start and end date. Keep both the normal price and the seasonal price for when the discount ends.
Communicate to your team
Tell your kitchen team about the new prices and when they apply. Set a reminder in your calendar for when the discount ends, so you can immediately switch back to the normal price.
✨ Pro tip
Set up calendar alerts 3 days before each seasonal discount period ends. Review your top 8 seasonal dishes during this window to avoid accidentally using expired discount prices.
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
Do I have to lower my menu price if I get a seasonal discount?
How long do seasonal discounts usually last?
What if I forget to switch the price back after the season?
Can I combine seasonal discounts with other promotions?
How do I prevent my team from using the wrong prices?
Should I negotiate seasonal discounts for next year during current season?
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.
kennisbank.more_in_category
Related questions
Explore more topics
Optimize your purchasing with data
Know exactly which supplier is most cost-effective and how price changes affect your margins. KitchenNmbrs links purchasing directly to recipe costs. Try it free for 14 days.
Start free trial →