Seasonal dishes can overburden your team. Some dishes require a lot of manual work, while others are quick to prepare. If your staff is constantly overworked during the season, phasing out labor-intensive dishes can yield more profit than holding onto popular items.
Calculate the real labor costs per dish
Most business owners only look at ingredient costs. But labor costs are often higher than food cost. A dish that takes 15 minutes of prep has different margins than something you can prepare in 3 minutes.
💡 Example:
Seasonal risotto vs. grilled fish:
- Risotto: 20 minutes active prep, constant stirring
- Fish: 8 minutes, mostly passive grilling
- Kitchen hourly rate: €18 (including employer taxes)
- Risotto labor: €6.00 per portion
- Fish labor: €2.40 per portion
Difference: €3.60 per portion in labor costs
Measure the workload on your team
Look for signs of overload. If your chef regularly works overtime, or quality drops during busy service, labor-intensive dishes cost you more than you think.
- Overtime: Calculate €27/hour instead of €18 (50% surcharge)
- Stress errors: Wrong dishes, remakes cost double
- Staff turnover: Training new staff takes time and money
- Sick leave: Replacements are more expensive than permanent staff
⚠️ Watch out:
Include overtime in your calculation. If your chef works an extra hour every evening because of labor-intensive dishes, that costs €135 extra per week (5 days × €27).
Compare total profitability
Calculate the full cost price: ingredients + labor + overhead. Many seasonal dishes look profitable on paper, but eat into your margin through hidden labor costs.
💡 Example calculation:
Seasonal risotto - €28 menu price (€25.69 excl. VAT):
- Ingredients: €7.50 (29% food cost)
- Labor: €6.00 (23% of selling price)
- Overhead: €3.00 (12% of selling price)
- Total costs: €16.50
Net margin: €9.19 (36% of selling price)
Compare this with a simpler dish at the same menu price but lower labor costs. Often you earn more on simpler dishes.
Look for alternatives that require less labor
Replace labor-intensive seasonal dishes with variants that require less manual work but give the same seasonal feel.
- Risotto → seasonal salad: Same seasonal ingredients, 80% less prep
- Stuffed zucchini blossoms → grilled zucchini: Same flavor, much faster
- Handmade gnocchi → fresh pasta: Authentic feel, much less time
Test the impact on revenue and satisfaction
Phase out the dish temporarily and measure what happens. Do guests order alternatives? Does your revenue stay the same? Does your team become calmer and make fewer mistakes?
💡 Test period:
Week 1-2: Dish still on menu
Week 3-4: Dish removed, alternatives promoted
Measure: daily revenue, kitchen overtime, guest satisfaction
If your revenue stays the same and your team has less stress, phasing out is probably the right choice. You earn the same with less hassle.
How do you determine if a seasonal dish is too labor-intensive?
Measure the prep time per portion
Time how long your chef needs for one portion, from start to plate. Count everything: chopping, cooking, garnishing. Multiply by €18 per hour (including employer taxes) for labor costs.
Calculate the total cost price
Add ingredient costs + labor costs + overhead (12-15% of selling price). Divide by your selling price excl. VAT. If you're above 65% total costs, you're not earning enough.
Compare with simpler alternatives
Find a dish with the same selling price but less prep time. Calculate the margin. The difference in net profit per portion × number of sales per week = your potential savings.
✨ Pro tip
Always include labor costs in your cost price. A dish with 30% food cost can still be unprofitable if it has 25% labor costs.
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 do I calculate labor costs per dish?
Time the prep in minutes and multiply by €0.30 per minute (€18 per hour including employer taxes). A 15-minute dish costs €4.50 in labor.
What if guests specifically ask for the seasonal dish?
Test alternatives first that give the same seasonal feel but require less labor. Often guests are satisfied with a replacement if the flavor and presentation are good.
Can I raise the menu price instead of phasing it out?
Yes, but test carefully. Increase by €3-4 and see if you sell the same amount. Sometimes a higher price with lower sales is more profitable than a low price with lots of hassle.
How do I measure if my team is overloaded?
Watch for overtime (more than 2 hours per week), stress errors during service, and complaints about workload. If this happens regularly, labor-intensive dishes are probably too expensive.
Do I have to completely remove seasonal dishes?
Not necessarily. Look for versions that require 70% less prep but give the same seasonal feel. Often you can achieve the same result with smarter preparation 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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