Seasonal dishes can be goldmines - if you know which ones worked and why. Many restaurants start each season guessing from scratch, while they actually have a treasure trove of data at their fingertips. In this article, you'll learn how to systematically record seasonal dishes so you know exactly which ones to bring back next year.
Why recording seasonal data is crucial
Every season you introduce new dishes. Some become hits, others flops. Without recording them, you'll forget by next year which ones did well and why.
⚠️ Watch out:
Without data you're going on gut feeling. "That asparagus soup did well, right?" But was that because it tasted good, or because it was a cold May? That difference determines whether you should make it again next year.
What you need to record for each seasonal dish
For each seasonal dish, you record 4 things:
- Sales figures: How many portions sold per week
- Food cost: Percentage and absolute amount
- Customer feedback: Compliments, complaints, repeat purchases
- Operational impact: How demanding was it for the kitchen
💡 Example:
Pumpkin soup fall 2024:
- Sales: 45 portions/week (8 weeks)
- Food cost: 24% (€3.60 on €15.00)
- Reviews: 4.7/5 stars, lots of compliments
- Prep time: 2 hours per batch (3 days shelf life)
Conclusion: Bring back in 2025, food cost is fine
Sales figures that matter
Not just total sales count. Pay special attention to:
- Sales per week: Did it start slow and pick up? Or the opposite?
- Percentage of total sales: What percentage of your guests chose this dish?
- Repeat purchases: Did guests come back for this specific dish?
A dish that sells a steady 40 portions per week for 8 weeks is different from one that starts at 80 and ends at 10.
Track food cost development
Seasonal ingredients fluctuate in price. Record how your food cost changed:
💡 Example:
Asparagus spring 2024:
- Week 1-2: €12/kg → food cost 38%
- Week 3-6: €8/kg → food cost 28%
- Week 7-8: €15/kg → food cost 42%
Next year: Plan asparagus for week 3-6, not at beginning/end of season
Collect customer feedback systematically
Ask your team to note any special reactions:
- Compliments they hear at the table
- Guests who specifically ask for this dish
- Dishes that get photographed a lot
- Complaints or remarks about taste/portion size
This gives you insight into what really resonated with guests, not just what sold.
Measure operational impact
A seasonal dish can sell well but paralyze your kitchen:
⚠️ Watch out:
Record how much extra prep time each seasonal dish takes. A dish with 35% food cost can still be unprofitable if it requires 3 extra hours of prep per day.
- Prep time: How much extra time did preparation take?
- Service complexity: Did it slow down service?
- Inventory risk: Did a lot go to waste or did you run out of ingredients?
- Training: How much time did it take to teach the team the dish?
Record digitally for easy retrieval
Create a seasonal report per dish that you can easily consult next year. Many restaurants use an app like KitchenNmbrs to track this systematically, including recipes and costs.
💡 Example seasonal report:
Wild stew fall 2024:
- ✅ Bring back: Good sales + margin
- 📊 32 portions/week, food cost 31%
- 💬 Lots of compliments, fits concept
- ⏱️ 4h prep/week, no issues
- 💡 Tip: Start a week earlier, ran well through December
Planning for next season
Use your data to plan smarter:
- Bring back winners immediately: Dishes with good sales + margin + feedback
- Adjust questionable ones: Good sales but poor margin? Optimize the recipe
- Drop flops: Poor sales despite promotion? Don't repeat
- Optimize timing: Now you know when ingredients are cheap/expensive
How do you record seasonal dishes? (step by step)
Create a seasonal logbook
Create a document or digital file for each season where you record the key figures for each dish. Note start date, end date, and planned duration.
Track weekly sales and costs
Note each week how many portions you sold and what the ingredients cost. Pay special attention to price fluctuations of seasonal ingredients.
Collect customer and team feedback
Ask your team to note any special reactions. Take photos of the dish for visual memory. Note operational challenges.
Create a final report per dish
At the end of the season, summarize: total sales, average food cost, customer feedback, and whether you want to bring the dish back next year.
✨ Pro tip
Take photos of each seasonal dish and save the recipe digitally. Next year you'll know exactly what it looked like and can reproduce it exactly.
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 many seasonal dishes can I track at once?
Start small with 2-3 seasonal dishes per season. Once your system works, you can expand to 5-6 dishes. More becomes unmanageable.
Should I also record failed dishes?
Absolutely! Flops are just as valuable as successes. Note why it didn't work: poor sales, expensive ingredients, or operational problems.
How long should I keep seasonal data?
At least 3 years. Seasons can vary due to weather or trends. With 3 years of data you'll see patterns and can make better predictions.
Can I track this in Excel?
Excel works, but quickly becomes unwieldy. A structured system like KitchenNmbrs automatically tracks sales and costs per dish.
When do I decide if a seasonal dish comes back?
Look at 3 factors: did it sell well (>20% of your guests), was the margin healthy (<35% food cost), and was it operationally feasible. 2 out of 3 = bring it back.
Should I also keep an eye on the competition?
Yes, note what other restaurants in your area do with seasonal dishes. If everyone has pumpkin soup, your competitive advantage is less.
📚 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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