You're caught between a rock and a hard place: your bestselling dish brings in customers but barely breaks even. Raise the price and risk losing loyal guests. Shrink portions and face potential backlash. Both paths have merit depending on your restaurant's unique situation.
Crunch the numbers before anything else
You can't make smart moves without knowing exactly where you stand. Pull up your bestseller's current food cost and stack it against other menu items.
💡 Example:
Your top dish: pasta carbonara for €16.50 (excl. VAT €15.14)
- Current ingredient costs: €6.80
- Current food cost: 45% (way too high!)
- Target food cost: 30%
You need to save €2.26 per plate or boost revenue
Route 1: Bump up the price
The most straightforward fix is adjusting your selling price to hit that healthy margin.
- New price calculation: €6.80 / 0.30 = €22.67 excl. VAT = €24.71 incl. VAT
- Price jump: From €16.50 to €24.71 = 50% increase
- Danger zone: Customers might balk at such a steep hike
⚠️ Heads up:
Price jumps over 15% in one go can send customers running. Think staged increases instead.
Route 2: Trim the portion
Same price, smaller portion—keep cutting until you land on that target margin.
💡 Example:
For 30% food cost at €15.14 selling price:
- Max ingredient costs: €15.14 × 0.30 = €4.54
- Current costs: €6.80
- Must save: €2.26 (33% fewer ingredients)
Translation: 200g pasta drops to 135g, or cut back on cheese/bacon
The hybrid approach: Split the difference
Most successful operators blend both strategies—modest price bump plus slight portion tweak. One of the most common blind spots in kitchen management is thinking you must choose just one path.
- Price increase of 10-15% (customers can swallow this)
- Portion cut of 10-15% (usually flies under the radar)
- Enhanced plating to preserve perceived value
💡 Hybrid example:
Pasta carbonara makeover:
- Updated price: €18.50 (12% bump)
- Reduced portion: 15% less ingredients
- New food cost: €5.78 / €16.97 = 34% (workable)
Outcome: Better margins without shocking changes
Which factors drive your decision?
Your restaurant's context shapes the right strategy:
- Budget-conscious diners: Go with portion reduction
- Quality-focused clientele: Raise prices but keep standards high
- Fierce local competition: Portion cuts are less risky than price hikes
- One-of-a-kind concept: You've got more pricing power
Track results and adjust course
Whatever route you pick, watch how it affects sales volume and guest feedback. Run a 4-6 week test period first.
⚠️ Heads up:
Don't announce changes publicly. Customers rarely spot subtle adjustments, but they'll scrutinize everything if you draw attention to it.
Step by step: making the right choice
Calculate your current food cost
Divide your ingredient costs by your selling price excl. VAT and multiply by 100. Check if you're above 35% - then you need to take action.
Analyze your competition and target audience
Check the prices of similar dishes at competitors. Determine whether your customers are price-sensitive or value quality more.
Choose your strategy and test for 4-6 weeks
Start with a combination of 10-15% price increase and 10-15% portion reduction. Monitor your sales numbers and customer reactions.
✨ Pro tip
Run your margin fix on weekday lunch service first—if customers don't flee during your slowest 3-week period, roll it out restaurant-wide. Lower stakes, real feedback.
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 can I raise my price without losing customers?
Most restaurants can handle increases up to 15%, especially if rolled out gradually. Push past 20% and you're entering risky territory for popular items.
Will customers notice if I reduce portions?
Cuts up to 15% typically go undetected, particularly with improved plating. Bigger reductions will get spotted and questioned.
What if my bestseller drives 60% of my revenue?
With that level of dependence, move carefully. Test small adjustments first and monitor closely—losing this dish could sink your numbers.
Can I swap in cheaper ingredients instead?
Sure, but quality loss is a real risk. Test extensively to ensure taste stays consistent, since customers spot quality drops faster than portion changes.
📚 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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