Is your daily special secretly bleeding money while you think it's boosting profits? Most restaurants lose cash on their daily specials because they ignore seasonal price swings and real ingredient costs. Here's exactly how to figure out if your special makes or breaks your bottom line.
Why daily specials often cost money
Daily specials look foolproof on paper: grab cheap ingredients, price low, watch sales soar. But reality hits hard when restaurants calculate using outdated costs while seasonal ingredients swing wildly week to week.
⚠️ Watch out:
Most kitchens use last month's pricing while seasonal ingredients shift every week. Asparagus jumps from €18/kg in March to €8/kg in May.
Calculate the real cost price of your daily special
You need three numbers for accurate calculations: ingredient costs, labor time, and overhead. Labor time gets forgotten most often, but it'll crush your margins if ignored.
💡 Example: Seasonal soup
Pumpkin soup in October (per portion):
- Pumpkin: €0.80 (seasonal, cheap)
- Cream, broth, spices: €1.20
- Labor time (15 min at €18/hour): €4.50
- Overhead (gas, dishwashing): €0.50
Total cost price: €7.00
Check your margin per sold portion
The math's straightforward: Margin per portion = Selling price excl. VAT - Total cost price. Always calculate excluding VAT or you'll fool yourself into thinking margins look better than they are.
💡 Example: Margin calculation
Pumpkin soup sold for €12.50 incl. VAT:
- Selling price excl. VAT: €12.50 / 1.09 = €11.47
- Cost price: €7.00
- Margin per portion: €11.47 - €7.00 = €4.47
At 50 portions per day: €223.50 extra margin
Seasonal factors that affect your margin
Ingredient prices swing dramatically throughout the year. From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, I've seen "profitable" specials turn into money pits overnight. Track purchase prices weekly, not monthly.
- Vegetables: Can spike 200-300% out of season
- Fish: Prices shift weekly based on catch quotas
- Meat: Stays relatively stable, but holidays create spikes
⚠️ Watch out:
Adjust your daily special price monthly minimum. September's profitable dish becomes November's loss-maker when ingredient costs double.
When to stop or adjust a daily special
Kill any daily special with margins below €3.00 per portion or food costs above 40%. You're wasting time and energy that could go toward profitable menu items.
💡 Example: Decision point
Pumpkin soup in March (out of season):
- Pumpkin: €3.20 (4x more expensive)
- Other costs: €4.30
- Total cost price: €7.50
- Margin at €11.47: €3.97
Still profitable, but barely worth the effort
How tools help with daily special calculations
Modern food cost calculators show your margin per dish instantly and alert you when food costs climb too high. You can test different price scenarios without wrestling with spreadsheets.
How do you calculate if your daily special is profitable? (step by step)
Gather all costs per portion
Add up: ingredient costs, labor time (15-20 min × hourly wage), overhead (gas, dishwashing). Use current purchase prices from this week, not last month.
Calculate your selling price excl. VAT
Divide your menu price by 1.09 to get the price excl. VAT. This is your actual selling price for margin calculation.
Check your margin and food cost percentage
Subtract cost price from selling price for margin per portion. Calculate food cost: (ingredient costs / selling price excl. VAT) × 100. Above 40% is too high.
✨ Pro tip
Track your top 3 daily specials every Tuesday morning for 15 minutes. If any special shows negative margins, swap it immediately for a seasonal alternative with 25% lower ingredient 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 often should I recalculate my daily special cost price?
Monthly at minimum, weekly if you're using seasonal ingredients. Vegetable and fish prices can shift dramatically in just days, especially during seasonal transitions.
What's a good margin for a daily special?
Aim for at least €3.00 per portion with food costs below 35%. Anything less means you're working harder for less profit than your regular menu items.
Should I include labor time in the cost price?
Absolutely, especially for specials requiring extra prep work. Calculate 15-20 minutes × your hourly wage per portion. Skip this and your special looks profitable when it's actually losing money.
When should I stop a daily special?
Pull it immediately if food costs hit 40% or margins drop below €3.00 per portion. Your regular menu will generate better returns with less effort.
📚 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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