You just signed up for KitchenNmbrs and want to see if it actually works. Good news - you can calculate your first dish's cost price within 5 minutes thanks to a pre-loaded ingredient library. No hours of data entry required before getting real results.
Jump right in after registration
The app comes loaded with common ingredients and their average market prices. You won't be staring at empty fields wondering where to start.
💡 Example:
You want to calculate the cost price of a pasta carbonara:
- Spaghetti (250g): €0.85
- Bacon (75g): €2.10
- Egg (2 pieces): €0.60
- Parmesan (30g): €1.80
- Cream (50ml): €0.35
Total cost price: €5.70
What you can do immediately
After downloading and creating your account, you can:
- Create a new recipe
- Add ingredients from the existing library
- Enter quantities per portion
- See the cost price and food cost automatically
Everything calculates itself. Enter your selling price and the food cost percentage appears instantly.
💡 Example:
Pasta carbonara cost price €5.70, selling price €18.50:
- Selling price excl. VAT: €16.97
- Food cost: (€5.70 / €16.97) × 100 = 33.6%
You see this directly in the app, without doing math yourself.
Fine-tune prices to match reality
The default prices are market averages. For precise calculations, adjust them to reflect what you actually pay suppliers. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen how even small price differences add up to significant margin changes over time.
⚠️ Note:
The default prices are starting points. Always verify against your actual purchase prices for precise cost calculations. Suppliers can vary by 20-30% in pricing.
Beyond your first recipe
Once you've tested one dish, you can expand:
- Add more recipes
- Enter your supplier information
- Connect menu items to recipes
- Begin HACCP tracking
But one dish tells you everything you need to know initially. You'll grasp how cost calculations work and see if your food cost sits in the typical range (28-35% for most restaurants).
💡 Example timeline:
- Minute 1-2: Download app and create account
- Minute 3-5: Enter first recipe
- Minute 6-8: Add selling price and review food cost
- Minute 9-10: Adjust prices to match your suppliers
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Start free trial →How do you calculate your first dish? (step by step)
Download and create account
Download KitchenNmbrs from the App Store or Google Play. Create a free account with your email address. You'll get immediate access to all features for 3 days free.
Create your first recipe
Click on 'New recipe' and give it a name. Add ingredients from the library and enter the quantities per portion. The app automatically calculates the cost price.
Enter your selling price
Enter the price that appears on your menu (including VAT). The app automatically calculates your food cost percentage. Check if this falls between 28-35% for restaurants.
✨ Pro tip
Calculate your most popular dish within your first 3 minutes of using the app. You'll instantly know if your current food costs are healthy without any complicated setup.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need my supplier invoices before starting?
Not at all - the app has standard prices ready to go. You can fine-tune with your actual purchase prices later for better accuracy.
How many recipes can I test during the free trial?
Unlimited recipes during your 3-day trial. You get full access to every feature, so you can really test if it fits your operation.
What if I need an ingredient that's not in the library?
You can add custom ingredients with your own pricing and supplier details. Once added, they're available for all future recipes.
Will the food cost percentage be accurate right away?
The math is spot-on, but it uses standard market prices. For exact costs, update ingredient prices to match what you actually pay suppliers.
Can I calculate costs for cocktails and drinks too?
Absolutely - cocktails, mocktails, and other beverages work the same way. Just remember alcoholic drinks typically have 21% VAT instead of 9% for food.
What happens to my data when the trial expires?
Your recipes stay in your account permanently. Once you subscribe, everything's still there - no data gets lost after the trial ends.
📚 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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