Supper club profitability depends on precise cost calculations, not guesswork. Most hosts underestimate their true costs and lose money on each guest without knowing it. Here's the exact formula to calculate your cost price per person for intimate dinners of ten guests.
What makes cost calculation different for supper clubs?
Supper clubs operate with a unique cost structure. You're cooking for a fixed number of guests (usually 6-12), often serving 5-7 courses. Every ingredient carries more weight because you're working with small quantities of premium products.
- Fixed group size means no economies of scale
- Premium ingredients have higher cost prices
- No leftovers to sell - everything must work out perfectly
- Often includes wine pairing in the price
Gather all costs for your complete menu
Start with your full evening menu. Include not just main ingredients, but every garnish, sauce, bread, butter and amuse-bouche.
💡 Example 5-course menu:
For 10 guests, costs per course:
- Amuse (oysters): €45.00
- Appetizer (foie gras): €85.00
- Fish (sea bass): €120.00
- Meat (wagyu): €180.00
- Dessert (chocolate): €35.00
- Bread, butter, olive oil: €15.00
Total food cost: €480.00
Don't overlook small items that add up fast: sea salt at €8 per jar, truffle oil at €25 per bottle, or specialty butter at €12 per kilo.
Include wine and beverages in your cost price
Many supper clubs work all-inclusive. You'll need to include beverages in your cost calculation too.
⚠️ Note:
Alcoholic beverages carry 21% VAT, not 9% like food. Always calculate excluding VAT for your cost price calculation.
Plan on 0.75 bottles of wine per person for a 5-course dinner. For 10 guests you'll need about 7-8 bottles.
💡 Example beverage costs:
- 7 bottles at €15 wholesale: €105.00
- Aperitif (prosecco): €25.00
- Digestif (grappa): €20.00
Total beverage costs: €150.00
Calculate your cost price per person
Now you have all ingredient and beverage costs. Add them together and divide by your guest count.
Cost price per person formula:
(Total food cost + Total beverage costs) / Number of guests = Cost price per person
💡 Calculation example:
For our 5-course menu:
- Food cost: €480.00
- Beverage costs: €150.00
- Total: €630.00
- Per person: €630 / 10 = €63.00
Cost price per guest: €63.00
Determine your selling price with desired margin
For supper clubs, a food cost of 35-45% is normal due to premium ingredients and small scale. With a desired food cost of 40%, you calculate your minimum selling price like this:
Selling price formula:
Cost price per person / (Desired food cost % / 100) = Minimum price excl. VAT
💡 Price calculation:
With cost price €63.00 and desired food cost 40%:
- €63.00 / 0.40 = €157.50 excl. VAT
- €157.50 × 1.09 = €171.68 incl. VAT
Minimum price per person: €172.00
Extra costs you can't forget
Besides ingredients, there are other costs you must include, especially if you're cooking at home or renting a location. This represents one of the most common blind spots in kitchen management - hosts often track food costs religiously but ignore operational expenses.
- Location costs: Rent of space, gas, water, electricity
- Tableware and glassware: Depreciation or rental
- Cleaning costs: Before, during and after dinner
- Transport costs: Shopping, possibly to location
Calculate these costs as an amount per person and add to your food cost.
Account for seasons and availability
Supper clubs often work with seasonal products. Recalculate your cost price each time you change your menu or face significant ingredient price fluctuations.
⚠️ Note:
Asparagus costs €18/kg in March, €8/kg in May. Always check current prices with your supplier before finalizing your menu.
Digital help with cost calculation
For supper clubs that regularly create different menus, tools like KitchenNmbrs can help you quickly calculate cost prices. You build a database of ingredients and can easily test different menu combinations.
This way you immediately see what a menu change does to your cost price per person, without recalculating every time.
How do you calculate the cost price for your supper club? (step by step)
Make a complete ingredient list
Write down all ingredients for your complete menu, including garnishes, sauces, bread and butter. Also include amuse-bouches and petit fours. Don't forget special oils, spices and sea salt - those cost more than you think.
Calculate exact quantities per 10 people
Work out how much you need of each ingredient for exactly 10 guests. For meat you typically calculate 180-200 grams per person, for fish 150-180 grams. Add cutting waste and preparation loss to your quantities.
Add up all costs and divide by 10
Multiply each quantity by the wholesale price and add everything up. Don't forget wine and other beverages if you work all-inclusive. Divide the total by 10 for your cost price per person.
✨ Pro tip
Track your 3 most expensive ingredients within 48 hours of your dinner - a €2 per person miscalculation costs you €20 per evening. Over 24 dinners per year, that's €480 in lost profit.
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 food cost percentage is normal for a supper club?
For supper clubs, 35-45% is normal due to premium ingredients and small scale. This runs higher than regular restaurants which target 28-35%, but you can charge a premium for the exclusive experience.
How do I include wine if I work all-inclusive?
Calculate 0.75 bottles of wine per person for a 5-course dinner. Also include aperitif and digestif costs. Use your wholesale wine price and add this to your food cost for the total cost price per person.
What if I cook at home instead of renting a location?
Include your extra gas, water and electricity costs, plus wear and tear on your tableware and cookware. Factor in cleaning costs and any transport expenses for shopping into your cost price calculation.
📚 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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