Price discussions with your team often happen because nobody knows the real cost price of dishes. Your chef wants more salmon on the plate, the owner wants lower costs, but nobody has the numbers to prove what it costs. Without insight into recipe calculations, every price discussion becomes a guessing game.
Why price discussions arise
The problem often starts like this: your chef creates an amazing dish, everyone is enthusiastic, but nobody has calculated what it actually costs. Months later you notice your margin is shrinking, but you don't know why.
💡 Example:
Your teriyaki salmon is on the menu for €28. Your chef uses:
- Salmon fillet 200g: €7.20
- Teriyaki sauce: €0.80
- Vegetables: €1.50
- Rice: €0.60
- Garnish: €0.90
Total cost price: €11.00 on €25.69 excl. VAT = 42.8% food cost
That's way too high. But without this calculation, nobody knows that this dish is eating into your profit.
The hidden costs of unclear pricing
When recipe calculations aren't transparent, this happens:
- Portion sizes vary: One day 180g salmon, the next day 220g
- Expensive ingredients are used too generously: Extra truffle oil because "it tastes better"
- Nobody dares to say no: Because who knows what it really costs?
- Price adjustments are delayed: Without numbers, there are no convincing arguments
⚠️ Watch out:
A difference of 20 grams per portion on an expensive ingredient can cost €1,000+ per year on popular dishes.
Transparency as a solution
When everyone on your team can see the cost price, discussions change from "I think" to "I know". Your chef understands why 250g beef is too much. Your servers understand why the price needs to go up.
💡 Practical example:
Restaurant De Heerlijkheid had a monthly discussion about the beef tenderloin. Too expensive according to the owner, perfect portion according to the chef.
After calculating the cost price, it turned out:
- Chef was using 220g instead of the planned 180g
- This cost €2.40 extra per portion
- At 80 portions per month: €192 loss
- Per year: €2,304 overspent
Solution: portion to 200g, price up €2. Everyone happy.
Digital recipes as the truth
Paper recipes disappear, memory fails, and everyone has their own version. A digital system ensures that everyone is looking at the same numbers.
With an app like KitchenNmbrs you see the cost price per portion directly, and your team can see what each adjustment means for the margin. No more discussions about "what does this roughly cost", but hard numbers everyone can rely on.
How do you make cost prices transparent for your team?
Calculate exact cost price per recipe
Make a list of all ingredients per dish, including oil, butter, spices and garnish. Add up the purchase prices and calculate the cost price per portion. Use the formula: food cost % = (cost price / selling price excl. VAT) × 100.
Make numbers visible to the team
Make sure your kitchen team can see the cost price, for example via a digital system or laminated cards. Explain why certain portion sizes are important and what deviations cost.
Discuss the impact of changes
Show what 10 grams extra of an expensive ingredient costs per year. Make concrete agreements about portion sizes and explain how this affects profitability. This way discussions are based on facts instead of feelings.
✨ Pro tip
Start with your 5 best-selling dishes. Once those cost prices are correct and everyone understands them, you've solved 80% of your discussions.
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 show my team all cost prices?
Not necessarily all the details, but definitely the food cost percentages and impact of portion sizes. Transparency helps everyone understand why certain choices are made.
What if my chef disagrees with the calculated portions?
Let the numbers speak. Calculate together what a larger portion costs and whether you can compensate with a higher menu price. Often there's a middle ground to be found.
How often should I update cost prices?
Check your supplier invoices monthly for price changes. Update the recipes of your best-selling dishes right away, because a price increase there has the biggest impact.
Can't I just estimate cost prices?
Estimating leads to discussions because everyone has a different feeling about it. Exact calculations provide clarity and prevent you from unknowingly losing money on popular dishes.
What if my team says guests get less for their money?
Explain that consistency is more important than randomly large portions. A guest knows what they're getting, and you know you're making a profit. Quality compensates for a slightly smaller portion.
📚 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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