Picture this: your head chef calls in sick on a busy Friday morning, and you're staring at a full reservation book. You'll need temporary staff, but those hourly rates can devastate your margins. Here's how to calculate the real damage and protect your bottom line.
Calculate the extra costs of temporary staff
Don't panic until you've crunched the numbers. Yes, temp staff costs more, but the actual impact might surprise you.
💡 Example cost calculation:
Your regular chef costs €18/hour. Temporary staff costs €35/hour.
- Extra costs per hour: €17
- At 8 hours per day: €136 extra
- At 5 days per week: €680 extra
Per month: €2,720 extra costs
Options to limit the damage
Expensive temp staff isn't your only choice. Consider these alternatives first:
- Shorten your menu: Focus on dishes you can handle yourself
- Drop the specials: Stick to your core offerings only
- Reduce operating hours: Skip lunch service if dinner's more profitable
- Cross-train existing staff: Your servers can handle prep work
- Simplify preparations: More salads and grilled items, fewer sauces
Impact on your food cost and profit
Temp staff doesn't just cost more per hour. They're also less efficient, which hits your food costs hard.
⚠️ Watch out:
Temporary staff often makes oversized portions, wastes ingredients, and works slower. From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, expect food costs to jump 10-20% during temp periods.
💡 Example impact:
Normal situation at €5,000 revenue per week:
- Labor costs: €1,500 (30%)
- Food cost: €1,500 (30%)
- Profit for other costs: €2,000
With temporary staff:
- Labor costs: €2,180 (44%)
- Food cost: €1,750 (35%)
- Profit for other costs: €1,070
You lose €930 per week in profit
Long-term strategy
If your chef's absence stretches beyond a few days, temporary fixes become permanent problems. Time to pivot.
- Hire a permanent replacement: A decent chef beats expensive temps every time
- Upskill your current team: Train servers on basic kitchen tasks now
- Redesign your menu: Create dishes that don't need expert technique
- Consider temporary closure: Sometimes shutting down beats bleeding money
Push through or pull the plug?
Your break-even point determines everything. Calculate it before you decide.
💡 Break-even calculation:
Fixed costs per day: €300 (rent, energy, insurance)
- Minimum revenue to cover fixed costs: €300
- With temporary staff you need €500 revenue for break-even
- Below €500 revenue per day: better to close temporarily
Preparation for next time
Use this crisis as your wake-up call. Smart preparation now prevents future disasters.
- Build your network: Connect with freelance chefs before you need them
- Cross-train everyone: Make sure multiple staff can handle each station
- Document everything: Write down recipes so temps can follow them
- Streamline complex dishes: Simplify techniques without sacrificing quality
How do you calculate the impact of temporary staff? (step by step)
Calculate the extra labor costs per day
Subtract your normal labor costs from the costs with temporary staff. Multiply the difference per hour by the number of working hours per day.
Estimate the impact on food cost
Expect 10-20% higher food cost due to inefficiency and waste. Calculate this over your average daily revenue.
Determine your new break-even point
Add the extra labor and food costs to your normal fixed costs. This is your new minimum revenue to avoid running at a loss.
✨ Pro tip
Build relationships with 3-4 freelance chefs within 15 minutes of your restaurant before emergencies hit. Offer them a trial shift during slower periods so they know your systems and standards.
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 more expensive is temporary staff than regular chefs?
Temporary staff typically costs 50-100% more per hour than regular chefs. A chef earning €18/hour will cost around €30-35/hour as temporary staff.
Can I put front-of-house staff in the kitchen during emergencies?
Yes, but only for basic tasks like prep work and dishwashing. Make sure you still have enough servers for customer service. Don't put inexperienced staff on cooking stations during busy periods.
How do I prevent food waste when using temporary staff?
Document portion sizes clearly and assign someone to monitor waste hourly. Temporary staff often over-portion because they don't know your standards. Clear instructions save money fast.
Should I simplify my menu when my head chef is out?
Absolutely. Remove complex dishes requiring specialized techniques and focus on items your remaining team can execute well. It's better to do fewer dishes perfectly than many dishes poorly.
📚 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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