Keeping seasonal dishes on the menu longer costs money. Ingredients get more expensive, you compete with fresh alternatives, and guests expect different flavors. Here you'll learn exactly how much that extra week costs you.
Why seasonal dishes get more expensive
Once the season is over, the prices of your main ingredients often rise dramatically. Asparagus costs double in June compared to May. Oysters are much more expensive in August than in March.
⚠️ Watch out:
Many restaurants forget to factor in packaging and transport costs. These also rise when ingredients have to come from further away.
Calculate the price increase per ingredient
Check with your supplier what each main ingredient costs now versus last week. Pay special attention to:
- Main ingredients (meat, fish, vegetables)
- Special garnishes that are seasonal
- Fresh herbs that become scarce
- Import costs for non-local alternatives
💡 Example:
Your asparagus menu in week 1 of June:
- Asparagus: €8/kg → €14/kg (+€6)
- Hollandaise: €2.50 → €2.50 (no difference)
- Ham: €18/kg → €19/kg (+€1)
- Potatoes: €1.20/kg → €1.20/kg (no difference)
Extra costs per portion: €1.75
Calculate the impact on your margin
Add up the extra costs and divide by your selling price excl. VAT. This gives you the new food cost percentage.
💡 Example:
You sell the asparagus menu for €28.50 incl. 9% VAT:
- Selling price excl. VAT: €28.50 / 1.09 = €26.15
- Old cost price: €8.00 (30.6% food cost)
- New cost price: €9.75 (37.3% food cost)
Your food cost rises from 31% to 37% - too high!
Calculate total loss per week
Multiply the extra costs per portion by the number of portions sold. This shows you the real impact on your profit.
💡 Example:
You sell 25 asparagus menus per week:
- Extra costs per portion: €1.75
- Number of portions: 25
- Loss per week: €1.75 × 25 = €43.75
That one extra week costs you €44 in profit
Calculate alternatives
Compare the costs of selling longer with other options:
- Raise the price: How many guests do you lose with a €2 markup?
- Reduce portion size: 200g asparagus instead of 250g saves €1.40
- Replace with another dish: What does developing a new menu cost?
- Remove from menu: How much revenue do you lose?
⚠️ Watch out:
Also factor in the time you spend printing new menus, training staff on new dishes, and clearing out inventory.
KitchenNmbrs for seasonal planning
With KitchenNmbrs you can quickly calculate what price changes do to your food cost. Update ingredient prices and immediately see the impact on all your dishes. This way you make data-driven decisions about when to remove seasonal dishes from your menu.
How do you calculate the costs of an extra week? (step by step)
Compare ingredient prices
Ask your supplier for the current prices of all ingredients in the seasonal dish. Compare with last week's prices. Note the difference per ingredient.
Calculate new cost price per portion
Add up all price increases and calculate what one portion now costs. Divide this by your selling price excl. VAT to get the new food cost.
Calculate total impact per week
Multiply the extra costs per portion by the number of portions you normally sell per week. This gives you the total profit loss from that extra week.
✨ Pro tip
Check your seasonal ingredients with your supplier every Monday. This way you avoid suddenly facing 50% higher costs without knowing it.
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 supplier doesn't give fixed prices for next week?
Ask for an indication or check market prices online. For vegetables you can look at auction results. Use a 10-20% increase as a rule of thumb for season's end.
Do I need to adjust VAT in my calculation?
No, VAT stays at 9% for restaurant food. Always calculate your food cost using selling prices excl. VAT. VAT doesn't change due to seasonal changes.
How do I know if 37% food cost is really too high?
For most restaurants, anything above 35% is too high. For seasonal dishes you can temporarily go to 38% but not structurally. Otherwise you don't earn enough per dish.
Can I adjust portion size instead of raising the price?
Yes, but communicate this honestly. 200g instead of 250g asparagus can save €1-2 per portion. Be careful that guests don't get disappointed by the smaller portion.
When is it time to permanently remove the dish from the menu?
When your food cost goes above 40% or when you lose more than €50 per week on one dish. Then the seasonal opportunity is over and you need to switch.
⚠️ 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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