Most restaurants love creative specials, but many lose money on them without realizing it. Your chefs focus on flavor combinations while ignoring the €45-per-kilo langoustines they're selling for €24. Clear financial guidelines protect your profits without killing creativity.
Why specials destroy your margins
Chefs think in flavors, not numbers. They grab those gorgeous langoustines at €45 per kilo, pair them with truffle at €80 per kilo, and price it at €28. Tastes incredible, but you're hemorrhaging €8 per plate.
⚠️ Watch out:
Without guidelines, one popular special can destroy your entire profit margin. At 50 portions per week, you lose €20,800 per year on one dish.
Set maximum food cost percentages per price category
Give your chef clear frameworks for each price category. They'll know exactly how much they can spend on ingredients.
- Lunch specials (€12-18): Maximum 30% food cost
- Dinner specials (€20-28): Maximum 32% food cost
- Premium specials (€30+): Maximum 35% food cost
💡 Example:
Special for €24.00 (excl. VAT: €22.02) with maximum 32% food cost:
Maximum ingredient costs: €22.02 × 0.32 = €7.05
Create approved and forbidden ingredient lists
Some ingredients work perfectly for specials, others are financial suicide. Give your chef a clear list—it's the kind of thing you only learn after closing your first month at a loss.
Approved base ingredients for specials:
- Seasonal vegetables (cheap and fresh)
- Chicken, pork, fish of the day
- Pasta, rice, potatoes as a base
- Herbs and spices from stock
Forbidden without consultation:
- Truffle, caviar, langoustines
- Dry-aged meat, wagyu beef
- Fresh oysters, lobster
- Exotic ingredients above €20/kg
Calculate every cost price beforehand
Every special gets calculated before it hits the menu. No exceptions, no excuses.
💡 Example cost price calculation:
Salmon fillet special for €26.00 (excl. VAT: €23.85):
- Salmon fillet 180g: €4.20
- Vegetables: €1.50
- Sauce and garnish: €1.10
- Oil, butter, herbs: €0.40
Total: €7.20 = 30.2% food cost ✅
Limit specials per week
Too many specials create purchasing chaos and increase waste. Set limits based on your kitchen size.
- Small kitchen: 1-2 specials per week
- Average kitchen: 2-3 specials per week
- Large kitchen: 3-4 specials per week
⚠️ Watch out:
More than 4 specials per week means you're buying too many different ingredients. This increases the risk of waste.
Review specials weekly
Look at each week's specials to see what worked and what didn't. Learn from the data.
Check these points:
- How many portions sold?
- Was the cost price calculation accurate?
- Was there ingredient waste?
- What did guests think?
💡 Example evaluation:
Special sold 35 portions in 3 days, cost price was accurate, no waste:
Success! Save recipe for repeat.
Track everything systematically
Guidelines only work if you follow them consistently. Food cost calculators help you track cost prices quickly and identify which specials were actually profitable. This prevents repeating the same expensive mistakes.
How do you set financial guidelines for specials?
Determine maximum food cost per price category
Set a maximum food cost for each price category. Lunch specials maximum 30%, dinner specials maximum 32%, premium specials maximum 35%. That way your chef knows exactly how much he can spend on ingredients.
Create lists of allowed and forbidden ingredients
Divide ingredients into three categories: always allowed (seasonal vegetables, standard meat/fish), only after consultation (more expensive ingredients), and forbidden (truffle, caviar, wagyu). This prevents expensive surprises.
Require cost price calculation beforehand
Every special must be calculated before it goes on the menu. Add up all ingredients, divide by the selling price excl. VAT, and check if you stay within the food cost guideline.
✨ Pro tip
Set a weekly ingredient spending cap of €150 for all specials combined. Track it daily so your chef knows exactly how much budget remains for the rest of the week.
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
What if my chef wants to experiment with expensive ingredients?
Set aside a monthly experiment budget—maybe €75 for testing pricier ingredients. This gives them creative freedom without risking your margins. Document what works so successful experiments can become profitable specials.
How do I calculate food cost percentage quickly for specials?
Add all ingredient costs including oil, butter, and herbs, then divide by your selling price excluding VAT. Multiply by 100 for the percentage. So €8 in ingredients for a €25 special equals 32% food cost.
Should I remove a popular but unprofitable special immediately?
You've got two choices: raise the price or redesign with cheaper ingredients that maintain the flavor profile. Popular dishes that lose money are luxuries your restaurant can't afford long-term.
⚠️ EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Allergen Information — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj
The allergen information on this page is based on EU Regulation 1169/2011. Recipes and ingredients may vary by supplier. Always verify current allergen information with your supplier and communicate this correctly to your guests. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for allergic reactions.
In the UK, the FSA enforces allergen regulations under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
📚 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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