Are daily menus actually killing your restaurant's profit margins? They look attractive because you'll push higher volumes and speed up ordering. But most operators lose money through sloppy cost calculations.
Making the financial comparison
Sure, a daily menu drives volume and gets guests ordering faster. But you've got to run the numbers on both scenarios to see which one actually fills your bank account.
💡 Example comparison:
Restaurant with 80 covers per day:
- Scenario 1: 50% orders daily menu €24.50
- Scenario 2: Everyone orders à la carte (average €28.00)
Which scenario generates more revenue?
Calculate your daily menu cost price correctly
Here's where most operators screw up - they only price the main course. You're selling a complete experience with starter, main, and dessert.
- Starter: ingredients + portion size
- Main course: all ingredients including garnish
- Dessert: often underestimated in cost price
- Bread, butter, amuse: count everything
💡 Example daily menu cost price:
3-course daily menu €24.50 (excl. VAT €22.48):
- Starter: €2.10
- Main course: €6.80
- Dessert: €1.90
- Bread + butter: €0.40
Total cost price: €11.20 = 49.8% food cost
⚠️ Watch out:
Many restaurants only calculate the main course and forget the starter and dessert. Then your food cost looks like 30% when it's actually 45%.
Volume effect vs. margin loss
Daily menus pull in more guests but generate less per person. You need to crunch whether that extra volume makes up for your thinner margins.
Volume compensation formula:
Required extra guests = (Loss per person / Profit per extra guest) × 100
💡 Example calculation:
Normal evening: 60 guests at €28 average
With daily menu: 80 guests, 70% choose daily menu €24.50
- Scenario 1: 60 × €28 = €1,680
- Scenario 2: (56 × €24.50) + (24 × €28) = €2,044
Revenue increases by €364, but also check the food cost!
Seasonal influence on daily menu profitability
Seasonal products make daily menus smart because you can capitalize on cheap ingredients. Summer tomatoes are dirt cheap, winter root vegetables give you an edge.
- Summer: salads and cold starters cheaper
- Fall: pumpkin and mushroom season
- Winter: stews with cheap cuts of meat
- Spring: first vegetables, but often still expensive
Calculate daily menu break-even point
You can nail down exactly how many extra guests you need to make that lower-margin daily menu pay off. From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, the math usually surprises operators.
Formula:
Break-even extra guests = Current revenue / (Daily menu price - Daily menu cost price)
💡 Break-even example:
Current situation: €1,680 revenue with 60 guests
Daily menu: €24.50 sales, €11.20 cost price
- Margin per daily menu: €24.50 - €11.20 = €13.30
- Required extra guests: €1,680 / €13.30 = 126 daily menus
You need 126 daily menu guests to earn the same amount
Practical test period
The smartest move? Run a 2-4 week test where you measure both scenarios. Track revenue, actual food cost, and total profit - not just the pretty top-line numbers.
⚠️ Watch out:
Also measure your labor costs. Daily menus often require more prep time, which can reduce your profit despite higher revenue.
How do you calculate this? (step by step)
Calculate exact daily menu cost price
Add up all ingredients: starter, main, dessert, bread, butter. Don't forget anything. Divide by number of portions for cost price per menu.
Compare with average à la carte bill
Check your cash register data from last month. What is your average bill amount per person? This is your comparison baseline.
Calculate break-even volume
Divide your current daily revenue by the margin per daily menu. This tells you how many daily menus you need to sell to earn the same amount.
✨ Pro tip
Track your daily menu performance over 3 consecutive weeks, measuring both food cost percentage and total covers per service. If your food cost stays under 38% while increasing covers by 20%+, you've got a winner.
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 daily menu has a higher food cost than 35%?
Then you need to run more volume or adjust your prices. A food cost of 40%+ can only work if you attract significantly more guests or your labor costs decrease.
How often should I recalculate my daily menu?
Every time your suppliers change their prices, at minimum monthly. Seasonal products can vary in price weekly.
Can I combine daily menus and à la carte?
Yes, many restaurants offer both. Then measure the percentage of guests choosing each and calculate the mixed profitability.
What if I need more staff for daily menus?
Factor the extra labor costs into your break-even calculation. Daily menus often require more mise-en-place, which costs time and money.
📚 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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