Food cost calculation in Excel takes an average of 2-4 hours per week, while a specialized app reduces this to 15-30 minutes. Many restaurant owners underestimate how much time they spend on manual calculations, updating formulas, and correcting errors. We'll compare the actual time investment and show you where the biggest time savings occur.
Time spent Excel vs. App - The reality
Most entrepreneurs think Excel is "quick and easy." But once you honestly add up what you're spending, it's disappointing.
💡 Example time spent per week:
Excel method:
- Updating ingredient prices: 45 minutes
- Entering new recipes: 60 minutes
- Calculating food cost: 30 minutes
- Finding and correcting errors: 45 minutes
Total: 3 hours per week
📱 App method:
- Updating prices: 10 minutes
- New recipes: 15 minutes
- Food cost: automatic
- Errors: virtually none
Total: 25 minutes per week
Where does the time go in Excel?
The problem with Excel isn't the program itself, but that it wasn't designed for cost price calculation. You have to do everything manually.
- Writing and checking formulas: One error in a formula and all your calculations are wrong
- Keeping ingredient prices up to date: Copying and pasting from supplier emails
- VAT calculations: Manually converting excl./incl. VAT
- Linking recipes: Adjusting an ingredient price means you have to manually update all recipes
⚠️ Note:
Many entrepreneurs only count the time they're actively working. But they forget the time spent finding errors, starting over, and dealing with frustration.
What makes an app faster?
From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, specialized apps eliminate the repetitive tasks that consume most of your time. They're built for this specific purpose:
- Automatic calculations: Food cost is calculated immediately once you adjust a price
- Ingredient database: Enter once, use everywhere
- VAT handling: Automatically convert excl./incl. VAT
- Recipe linking: Update one ingredient, all recipes are automatically adjusted
💡 Practical example:
Your supplier raises the price of beef from €24 to €28 per kilo.
Excel: You have to manually update all 12 recipes with beef. Takes you 30 minutes.
App: You adjust 1 ingredient. All recipes are automatically recalculated. Takes you 1 minute.
Cost of time vs. cost of app
As an entrepreneur, your time is money. So let's calculate what 3 hours per week costs you.
🧮 Calculation example:
3 hours per week × 50 weeks = 150 hours per year
150 hours × €25 per hour = €3,750 per year in time
Food cost apps cost €300 per year. Time savings: €3,450 per year
When Excel might still make sense
There are situations where Excel might still make sense for now:
- Very small business: If you only have 5-10 dishes
- Prices rarely change: If your suppliers have very stable prices
- Limited budget: If every euro counts and you have spare time
⚠️ Note:
Even for small businesses, an app often pays for itself. Most entrepreneurs underestimate how much time they spend on Excel and overestimate their Excel skills.
The real time savings: focus on your business
It's not just about the 2.5 hours per week you save. It's about what you can do with that time:
- Develop new dishes
- Serve guests
- Marketing and social media
- Just have free time
Many entrepreneurs say afterwards: "I should have done this much sooner. All those evenings I spent calculating in Excel..."
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Start free trial →How do you calculate time savings? (step by step)
Measure your current time spent
Track for 2 weeks how much time you spend on cost price calculation. Write down everything: updating ingredients, entering recipes, correcting errors. Many entrepreneurs underestimate this.
Calculate what your time costs
Multiply your weekly time spent by 50 (work weeks). Multiply that by your hourly rate as an entrepreneur (minimum €25). This is your annual time investment in euros.
Compare with app costs
Subtract the annual costs of an app (for example €300 for KitchenNmbrs) from your time costs. If the difference is positive, you make money with an app. Most entrepreneurs save €2,000-4,000 per year.
✨ Pro tip
Track your Excel time for exactly 1 week - including error corrections and formula checks. Most restaurant owners discover they're spending 4-5 hours weekly, not the 2 hours they estimated.
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Frequently asked questions
Isn't Excel just free and therefore always cheaper?
Excel costs no money, but a lot of time. If you spend 3 hours per week on cost price calculation, that costs you €3,750 per year in time. An app costing €300 per year therefore saves you €3,450.
Can't I just download an Excel template?
Templates help, but you still have to manually update all prices and check formulas. Once prices change, you still have to adjust all recipes manually. An app does this automatically.
How long does it take to switch from Excel to an app?
The switch usually takes 2-4 hours to enter your recipes and ingredients. After that, you save 2-3 hours every week. You'll have earned back the switching time within 2 weeks.
What if I'm really good at Excel?
Even Excel experts save time with a specialized app. It's not about Excel skills, but about automation. Even the most skilled Excel user has to manually update prices and check formulas.
Are there other benefits besides time savings?
Yes, fewer errors (no wrong formulas), always up-to-date food cost percentages, and you can easily calculate different scenarios. Plus: you always have access via your phone.
How accurate are Excel calculations compared to apps?
Excel is only as accurate as your formulas and data entry. One typo or broken formula can throw off all calculations. Apps eliminate human error through automated calculations and built-in validation checks.
📚 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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