Ever wonder why your rijsttafel profits don't match your expectations? You're dealing with multiple components, buffet waste, and complex calculations that most Indonesian restaurants simply estimate. Many unknowingly lose money on their signature dish.
Why rijsttafel margins often go wrong
A rijsttafel consists of 6-12 different dishes that come together on the table. Most restaurants only calculate the main ingredients and forget the side dishes, sauces, and buffet waste. This makes the margin appear higher than reality.
⚠️ Note:
At a buffet, not everyone eats the same amount. Some guests take more, others less. Calculate with 15-25% extra production to avoid running out.
The components of a rijsttafel
A complete rijsttafel for 2 people usually consists of:
- White rice (base)
- 2-3 meat dishes (rendang, satay, chicken)
- 1-2 fish dishes (fish curry, shrimp)
- 2-3 vegetable dishes (gado-gado, pickles)
- Prawn crackers and sambal
- Sauces and garnishes
Calculate cost price per component
Start by calculating each component separately. Add up all ingredients, including spices, oil, and sauces.
💡 Example rijsttafel for 2 people:
Cost price per component:
- White rice (400g): €0.80
- Rendang (300g): €4.20
- Satay chicken (8 skewers): €3.10
- Fish curry (200g): €3.80
- Gado-gado (2 portions): €2.40
- Pickles (side dish): €1.20
- Prawn crackers and sambal: €1.50
Total ingredients: €17.00
Include buffet waste
At a buffet, there's always leftover food. You need to factor this waste into your cost price. Standard buffet waste runs between 15-25% of production.
💡 Calculation with buffet waste:
Ingredient costs: €17.00
Buffet waste: 20%
Actual cost price = €17.00 / 0.80 = €21.25
So you need to produce 25% extra to serve 2 complete rijsttafels.
Calculate margin
Now you can calculate the actual margin. Always use the selling price excluding VAT.
💡 Margin calculation:
Selling price rijsttafel: €65.00 (incl. 9% VAT)
Selling price excl. VAT: €65.00 / 1.09 = €59.63
Cost price (incl. waste): €21.25
Food cost: (€21.25 / €59.63) × 100 = 35.6%
Margin per rijsttafel: €38.38
Benchmarks for Asian cuisine
For rijsttafels and Indonesian restaurants, margins are often slightly lower than regular restaurants due to complexity and buffet waste:
- Standard food cost: 32-40%
- At buffet: 35-42%
- Takeaway rijsttafels: 28-35% (no buffet waste)
⚠️ Note:
If your food cost exceeds 42%, you're probably losing money. Check if you're giving portions that are too generous or have too much buffet waste.
Optimization tips
Improve your margin by smartly managing the most expensive components:
- Meat and fish are the most expensive - give exact portions here
- Rice and vegetables are cheap - you can be more generous here
- Monitor buffet waste weekly and adjust production
- Use seasonal vegetables to lower your cost price
From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, tools like KitchenNmbrs help you monitor each component separately and see your margin per rijsttafel directly, including buffet waste.
How do you calculate the margin on a rijsttafel? (step by step)
List all components and calculate cost price
Make a list of all dishes in your rijsttafel. Calculate the cost price per component by adding up all ingredients, including spices, oil, and sauces. Don't forget side dishes like prawn crackers and sambal.
Add buffet waste to cost price
At a buffet, there's always leftover food. Calculate with 15-25% buffet waste. Divide your total cost price by (1 - waste percentage). At 20% waste: cost price / 0.80.
Calculate food cost percentage
Divide your actual cost price (including waste) by your selling price excluding VAT. Multiply by 100 for the percentage. For rijsttafels, 32-40% food cost is standard.
✨ Pro tip
Track your buffet waste percentages for 4 consecutive weeks during peak season. Most restaurants discover they're overproducing by 8-12% once they measure systematically.
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
Should I include VAT in my rijsttafel margin calculation?
No, always calculate with the selling price excluding VAT. A rijsttafel of €65.00 incl. VAT is €59.63 excl. VAT (divide by 1.09). Otherwise your margin will seem higher than it actually is.
How much buffet waste is normal for a rijsttafel?
Standard buffet waste is between 15-25%. At a well-run restaurant with an experienced kitchen, you can limit this to 15%. With inexperienced teams or varying busy periods, it can go up to 25%.
Why is my rijsttafel food cost higher than regular dishes?
Rijsttafels have more components, more complex preparation, and buffet waste. That's why 35-40% food cost is normal, while regular dishes often achieve 28-35%. The higher price usually compensates for this.
Can I charge different prices for small and large rijsttafels?
Yes, calculate the cost price per person and scale up to different formats. A rijsttafel for 4 often has a lower cost price per person due to economies of scale in preparation.
How often should I update my rijsttafel cost price?
Check your cost prices monthly, especially for meat and fish. These prices fluctuate significantly. You should also recalculate after changes to your recipe or portion sizes.
Which spices have the biggest impact on my rijsttafel costs?
Galangal, lemongrass, and tamarind paste are your biggest spice costs per gram. But they're used in small quantities, so focus on meat and coconut milk costs first.
📚 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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