Options if you have one dish that's…

Quick answer

A single high-cost dish can drag down your entire restaurant's profitability. Picture this: your ribeye runs at 45% food cost while everything else hovers around 30% - that one outlier skews your whole operation.

A single high-cost dish can drag down your entire restaurant's profitability. Picture this: your ribeye runs at 45% food cost while everything else hovers around 30% - that one outlier skews your whole operation. Four strategic moves can fix this: bump the price, tweak the recipe, hunt for better suppliers, or cut it entirely.

Identify the problem dish

Start by pinpointing which dish is sabotaging your margins. Run the numbers on your top 10 sellers and look for anything creeping above 35% - that's your troublemaker.

? Example:

Restaurant with 8 dishes on the menu:

7 dishes: 28-32% food cost
1 dish (beef tenderloin): 46% food cost
Total food cost: 34% (too high)

Without the beef tenderloin, total food cost would be 30%.

Option 1: Raise the selling price

The most straightforward fix? Jack up that price. Do the math to figure out what you need to charge for a reasonable 32% food cost.

? Example calculation:

Beef tenderloin ingredient costs: €16.00

For 32% food cost: €16.00 ÷ 0.32 = €50.00 excl. VAT
Including 9% VAT: €50.00 × 1.09 = €54.50
Current price: €38.00
Increase needed: €16.50

Risk: Massive price jumps spook customers. Test the waters with €3-5 bumps first.

Option 2: Adjust the recipe

Trim portion sizes or swap pricey ingredients for budget-friendly alternatives. Side dishes and garnishes offer the easiest targets.

Portion size: Dropping from 250g to 200g beef tenderloin cuts €3.20 per plate
Side dishes: Ditch truffle mayo for herb oil
Garnish: Less expensive veg, more potato or rice fillers

⚠️ Watch out:

Don't overhaul everything at once. Regulars will spot dramatic changes to their go-to dishes immediately.

Option 3: Find a different supplier

Shop around for better deals. After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've seen identical products with 15-20% price differences between suppliers. Quality and reliability matter just as much as cost.

Get quotes from at least 3 different suppliers
Ask about bulk purchase discounts
Explore alternative cuts (bavette beats tenderloin on price)

Option 4: Remove the dish from the menu

Sometimes you just need to cut your losses. Especially true for low-selling, labor-intensive dishes that eat into profits.

? Decision framework:

Less than 5% of your sales? Consider removing it
More than 10% of your sales? Try other options first
Signature dish? Look for creative solutions

Combine multiple options

The smartest approach? Mix and match strategies. Bump the price €5, shrink portions slightly, and negotiate better supplier rates. This spreads the impact across multiple areas.

Step 1: Modest price bump (€3-5)
Step 2: Recipe optimization (10-15% savings)
Step 3: Smarter sourcing (5-10% savings)

This combo approach can slash your food cost from 46% to 32% without customers catching on.

How do you tackle a problem dish? (step by step)

Calculate the exact food cost

Add up all ingredient costs and divide by the selling price excl. VAT. Multiply by 100 for the percentage. Also check how many times this dish is sold per week.

Set your target figure

Choose a realistic food cost for this type of dish (usually 28-35%). Calculate what the new selling price would need to be to achieve this.

Choose your approach

Decide whether you'll raise the price, adjust the recipe, or find a different supplier. Test small changes first and measure the effect after 2-3 weeks.

✨ Pro tip

Track both food cost percentage and prep time for problem dishes. A 38% food cost item that takes 12 minutes often beats a 32% dish requiring 20 minutes of kitchen labor.

Calculate this yourself?

In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.

Try KitchenNmbrs free →

Calculate it yourself?

Our free food cost calculator does it in seconds.

🧮 Open the free calculator

Share this article

WhatsApp LinkedIn

Frequently asked questions

How much can one dish affect your total food cost?

If a single dish represents over 15% of sales and runs above 40% food cost, it'll drag your entire average up significantly. Focus on your top 5 sellers first - they have the biggest impact.

Should I keep an expensive dish for the prestige factor?

Only if it's a signature item that draws customers who order other profitable dishes. Calculate the total revenue impact, including what those customers spend on drinks and appetizers. Otherwise, make it profitable or drop it.

How do I test if customers will accept a price increase?

Start with €3-5 increments and monitor sales for 2-3 weeks. If volume drops more than 20%, you've pushed too hard. Premium dishes typically handle increases better than everyday items.

What if changing the recipe isn't an option?

Then you're down to pricing and sourcing strategies. Hunt for suppliers offering identical products at lower costs, or negotiate volume discounts for bulk purchases.

How quickly will I see results from these changes?

Price adjustments show impact within 2-3 weeks through sales data. Recipe modifications reveal themselves faster - watch for customer feedback within a week.

Can seasonal ingredients help reduce costs on expensive dishes?

Absolutely, but timing matters. Build relationships with local suppliers for seasonal pricing on proteins and produce. Just ensure you can maintain consistent quality and availability during peak service periods.

Should I warn regular customers before removing a popular high-cost dish?

If it represents less than 8% of total sales, most won't notice. For higher-selling items, consider a limited-time farewell promotion to gauge actual demand and potentially clear remaining inventory.

ℹ️ This article was prepared based on official sources and professional expertise. While we strive for current and accurate information, the content may differ from the most recent regulations. Always consult the official authorities for binding standards.

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.

8 years kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group Rotterdam

Expertise: food cost management HACCP kitchen management restaurant operations food safety compliance

More in this category

→ How do I handle regular customers complaining about... → How do you shift your own role from working in the... → How do I decide whether to add a coffee corner or... → What do I do if a fellow entrepreneur asks me to share a... → What do you do when a supplier raises prices but guests... → How do you handle delivery and takeaway dishes that have... → What do you do when you notice that some production... → How do you decide to stop with Thuisbezorgd or Uber Eats... → How do you decide if a pop-up or event catering is... → How do you decide which figures to share with your team...

Explore more topics

Basic knowledge and formulas Why things go wrong Daily control Food safety and HACCP Recipes, knowledge & memory

Make better decisions with real numbers

Should you change your menu? Raise prices? Test a new concept? KitchenNmbrs simulates scenarios with your own data. Try it free for 14 days.

Start free trial →

Disclaimer & terms of use

What are your options if you have one dish that's...