A new dish can seriously disrupt your service if you don't properly assess its impact on kitchen flow. Many chefs only think about taste and costs, but forget that each extra dish takes time, space and actions during busy service. In this article you'll learn step by step how to calculate whether a new dish will slow down your kitchen or actually make it more efficient.
Why kitchen flow is crucial for your profit
A dish that takes 3 minutes longer than planned costs you 5 hours of extra kitchen time at 100 covers per evening. That means overtime, stress and longer wait times for guests. The real costs of a new dish often aren't in the ingredients, but in the extra time it takes.
⚠️ Heads up:
A dish that tastes perfect but takes 10 minutes to prepare during service can block your entire kitchen. Always calculate the time impact before you add a new dish to the menu.
Measure your current kitchen flow
Before you add a new dish, you need to know how your kitchen is currently performing. Measure for a week during your busiest service:
- Average preparation time per dish (from order to plate ready)
- Number of simultaneous orders your kitchen can handle
- Bottlenecks (grill full, fryer busy, no workspace)
- Peak time (what time is it busiest)
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 60 seats, Saturday evening 19:30-21:00:
- Average 8 orders at once
- Main course preparation time: 12-18 minutes
- Bottleneck: grill (max 6 steaks at once)
- Peak time: 20:15 (12 orders waiting)
Calculate the time impact of the new dish
For each new dish you need to calculate 4 time components:
- Prep time: How much extra mise-en-place for service?
- Order time: How many minutes from order to serving?
- Equipment time: How long does it occupy the grill/oven/fryer?
- Finishing time: How much time does garnishing and plating take?
💡 Example new pasta carbonara:
- Prep time: 15 min extra (slicing pancetta, grating cheese)
- Order time: 8 minutes (cooking pasta + finishing)
- Equipment time: 6 min stove occupied
- Finishing time: 1 minute (garnish with parsley)
Total impact per portion: 8 minutes service + 15 minutes prep divided by expected portions.
Estimate the popularity
A dish ordered 2 times per evening has less impact than a dish ordered 20 times. Estimate realistically how many portions you expect:
- Similar dishes: How many pastas do you sell now?
- Season: Heavy stews don't sell well in summer
- Price: Most expensive dishes are ordered less
- Position on menu: First items are chosen more often
Calculate the total flow impact
Now you can calculate the real impact with this formula:
Total time impact = (Preparation time × Expected portions) + (Prep time ÷ Expected portions)
💡 Calculation example:
New risotto, expecting 15 portions per evening:
- Preparation time: 18 minutes per portion
- Prep time: 30 minutes total
- Calculation: (18 × 15) + (30 ÷ 15) = 270 + 2 = 272 minutes
Impact: 4.5 hours extra kitchen time per service!
Optimize for minimal impact
If the time impact is too large, you can adjust the dish:
- More prep, less service: Make sauces in advance instead of à la minute
- Different equipment: Oven instead of grill if that's less busy
- Batch cooking: Prepare multiple portions at once
- Adjust ingredients: Faster cooking, less elaborate garnish
⚠️ Heads up:
Test each new dish first during quiet services. What works on Tuesday evening with 30 covers can completely break down on Saturday evening with 80 covers.
Monitor after introduction
Keep track the first 2 weeks after introduction:
- Actual preparation time vs. estimate
- Number of orders vs. expectation
- Complaints about wait times (more than usual?)
- Stress in kitchen (team feedback)
If the dish slows down your service, adjust it immediately or temporarily remove it from the menu. A smooth service is more important than one extra dish.
How do you calculate kitchen flow impact? (step by step)
Measure your current kitchen speed
Keep track for a week of how much time each dish takes and where your bottlenecks are. Measure during your busiest service hours for a realistic picture.
Calculate all time components of the new dish
Add up: prep time, preparation time, equipment occupancy and finishing time. Test this first during a quiet service to measure exact times.
Estimate realistic sales numbers
Compare with similar dishes on your menu and account for season and price. Multiply preparation time by expected portions per evening.
Calculate total time impact per service
Formula: (Preparation time × Expected portions) + (Prep time ÷ Expected portions). If this is more than 10% of your total kitchen time, optimize the dish first.
✨ Pro tip
Always test new dishes first as a 'chef's special' during quiet evenings. This way you can measure the exact preparation time and optimize the recipe before you permanently add it to the menu.
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
How much extra kitchen time is acceptable for a new dish?
As a rule of thumb: no more than 10% of your total kitchen time during peak hours. At 100 covers this means a maximum of 30-45 minutes extra total preparation time for the new dish.
Do I need to calculate the impact for all new dishes?
Yes, especially for main courses and anything that uses the grill, oven or fryer. Simple salads or desserts that are made in advance have less impact, but always check.
What if a dish takes too much time but is very popular?
Optimize the preparation process: more prep in advance, different cooking method, or batch cooking. Removing popular dishes costs revenue, so first look for more efficient preparation.
How do I test a new dish without disrupting service?
Start during quiet services (Tuesday/Wednesday) and offer it as a daily special. Measure the times exactly and ask for team feedback before you add it permanently to the menu.
Which equipment usually creates bottlenecks?
Grill and fryer are usually the first bottleneck, followed by oven. Plan new dishes that use this equipment extra carefully and consider alternative cooking methods.
📚 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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