Ever wondered if your restaurant needs enterprise-level software like Horeko, or if you're just overcomplicating things? Horeko targets larger hospitality businesses that require extensive purchasing, inventory, and financial management functions. It's built for restaurants with multiple locations, hotels, and catering companies running complex operations.
What exactly is Horeko?
Horeko is Dutch food service software that handles complete operational management for hospitality businesses. The platform merges purchasing, inventory control, recipe management, and financial reporting into a single system.
? Example:
A hotel with restaurant uses Horeko for:
- Purchasing for all F&B outlets
- Inventory control kitchen + bar
- Cost price calculation per dish
- Reporting to head office
Costs: from €200+ per month
Which food service businesses is Horeko intended for?
Horeko serves food service operations with complex requirements and enough revenue to support the investment.
- Hotels with F&B: Multiple outlets, banqueting, room service
- Restaurant chains: 5+ locations with central purchasing
- Large catering companies: Volume purchasing and complex calculations
- Corporate restaurants: Large volumes, strict cost control
- Care facilities: Central kitchens, diet management
Horeko vs other solutions: the difference
Horeko
- Designed for: Hotels, chains, large operations
- Focus on: Extensive reporting, central purchasing
- Strengths: Many features, integrations
- Price: From €200+ per month
Alternative solutions
- Designed for: Independent food service, 1-5 locations
- Focus on: Simplicity, mobile access, quick insights
- Strengths: Affordable, user-friendly
- Price: From €24.99 per month
So when does Horeko make sense?
Horeko suits food service businesses running complex operations that require extensive reporting capabilities. But here's something you only learn after closing your first month at a loss - many operators choose expensive software thinking they need every feature, then never use 70% of what they're paying for.
? Example:
A hotel chain with 8 locations needs:
- Central purchasing and contract management
- Detailed P&L per outlet
- Integration with accounting system
- Extensive user permissions
For them, the functionality justifies the higher costs.
And when are simpler tools more logical?
For smaller food service businesses that primarily want food cost control and daily operational oversight, without complex reporting requirements.
⚠️ Note:
Many small restaurants select overly complex software because they assume they need all the features. In reality, they never use 80% of the functionality, but still pay for it.
- 1-3 locations: No central purchasing needed
- Independent owner: Wants direct control, no extensive reporting
- Budget-conscious: €200+ per month exceeds reasonable costs for the revenue
- Mobile work: Wants to check food cost from phone
Cost comparison
? Example:
Cost breakdown for a bistro with 2 locations:
- Horeko: €250+ per month = €3,000+ per year
- Simpler tools: €49.98 per month = €600 per year
Difference: €2,400 per year
With annual revenue of €800,000, that's 0.3% of revenue difference - money you could invest more wisely in your kitchen equipment or staff training.
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Start free trial →How do you choose between Horeko and KitchenNmbrs?
Determine your scale and complexity
Count your locations, revenue and number of users. With 1-3 locations and fewer than 5 users, KitchenNmbrs is often sufficient. With 5+ locations or complex purchasing, Horeko may be more logical.
Check your budget and ROI
Calculate what you can spend maximum on software (usually 0.3-0.8% of revenue). Horeko costs €200+ per month, KitchenNmbrs €25-50 per month depending on your setup.
Test both systems
Try out both platforms with your own recipes and figures. Pay attention to ease of use, speed of insights and whether you really need all the features. KitchenNmbrs has a free trial without credit card.
✨ Pro tip
Calculate your top 3 menu items' food costs using both Horeko's demo and a simpler tool within 48 hours. The system that gives you accurate results faster matches your operational style.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Horeko better than simpler food cost tools?
Can smaller tools do everything Horeko can?
What does Horeko cost exactly?
Can I switch from Horeko to a simpler system?
How many locations can simpler tools handle effectively?
Does Horeko integrate with existing POS systems?
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
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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