Fixed costs are monthly expenses that don't change based on how busy your restaurant gets. Too many owners miss crucial costs during planning or forget them entirely. This breaks down every fixed expense and shows you how to calculate your true monthly total.
What exactly are fixed costs?
Fixed costs hit your bank account every month, no matter what. You could shut down for 30 days and these bills would still arrive. They're the opposite of variable costs like food purchases or hourly staff wages that fluctuate with your sales.
💡 Example of fixed vs. variable costs:
Fixed costs (same amount monthly):
- Rent: €3.500
- Insurance: €450
- Accountant: €300
Variable costs (change with sales):
- Ingredients (food cost)
- Extra staff during busy times
- Payment processing fees (% of revenue)
The complete list of fixed costs
Go through each category methodically. Missing even small expenses throws off your entire pricing strategy:
Housing & location
- Rent or mortgage - including service charges
- Gas, water, electricity - the base connection fees (not usage-based)
- Internet and phone
- Waste disposal - often a fixed monthly rate
- Cleaning costs - if you have a service contract
Insurance & permits
- Business liability
- Inventory insurance
- Legal assistance
- Food service permits - municipality and NVWA costs
- Music rights - Buma/Stemra
⚠️ Note:
Annual insurance bills need converting. Divide by 12 to get your monthly cost.
Staff (fixed portion)
- Fixed contracts - head chef, manager
- Your own salary - as an entrepreneur you should pay yourself too
- Payroll taxes - employer contributions on fixed contracts
Administration & software
- Accountant/bookkeeper
- POS system - monthly license
- Reservation system
- Cost calculation tools - for tracking food costs and HACCP
- Bank fees - account and payment terminal
Marketing & maintenance
- Website hosting
- Google ads - if you run a fixed monthly budget
- Equipment maintenance - service contracts
- Depreciation - of kitchen equipment and furnishings
💡 Example calculation small restaurant:
Monthly fixed costs:
- Rent: €3.200
- Energy (fixed portion): €400
- Insurance: €350
- Head chef (fixed): €2.800
- Your own salary: €2.500
- Accountant: €250
- Software: €180
- Other: €320
Total fixed costs: €10.000 per month
From annual costs to monthly costs
Lots of expenses arrive once per year, but you need monthly figures for accurate planning. Always divide annual costs by 12. And the kind of thing you only learn after closing your first month at a loss: put money aside each month for those annual bills so they don't crush your cash flow.
💡 Example converting annual costs:
- Insurance: €2.400 per year = €200 per month
- Accountant: €3.600 per year = €300 per month
- Permits: €1.200 per year = €100 per month
Set aside €600 monthly for these annual expenses.
Why this matters for your pricing
Fixed costs determine your minimum monthly revenue target. With €10.000 in fixed costs and a 60% gross margin, you need €16.667 in revenue just to break even on fixed expenses.
Break-even revenue = Fixed costs / (Gross margin % / 100)
⚠️ Note:
Include your salary as a fixed cost. You're not running charity - pay yourself for the work you're doing.
Optimizing fixed costs
Audit your fixed costs annually. Subscriptions pile up over time, and better deals constantly emerge in the market.
- Compare energy suppliers annually
- Audit subscriptions you're actually using
- Negotiate rent at contract renewal
- Compare insurance every 3 years
How do you calculate fixed costs? (step by step)
Make a list of all monthly costs
Go through your bank statements from the last 3 months and note all costs that return every month. Think of rent, insurance, software, fixed staff costs and energy.
Convert annual costs to monthly costs
Costs you pay annually (such as insurance or accountant) you divide by 12. Set this amount aside monthly in a savings account so you don't face surprises.
Add everything up and add a buffer
Sum all monthly costs and add a 5-10% buffer for unexpected costs. This is your total fixed costs amount per month that you need to cover from your revenue.
✨ Pro tip
Create a separate savings account and transfer exactly €800 into it every Friday for your annual fixed costs. This 52-week habit prevents cash flow disasters during permit renewal and insurance payment cycles.
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 my own salary as a fixed cost?
Absolutely. You're working full-time in your restaurant, so pay yourself accordingly. Calculate at least €2.000-3.000 monthly, otherwise you're essentially working for free.
How often should I recalculate my fixed costs?
At least once yearly, preferably in January. Also audit subscriptions you're still using and if cheaper alternatives exist.
What if my fixed costs exceed expectations?
You have three options: raise prices, increase customer volume, or cut costs. Your break-even revenue rises directly with fixed costs, so act quickly.
Are depreciation charges part of fixed costs?
Not for cash flow purposes, but yes for profit calculations. You need to recover depreciation costs to replace equipment that breaks down.
What's a normal percentage of fixed costs to revenue?
Most restaurants run 25-35% of revenue in fixed costs. Above 35% makes profitability challenging unless you have exceptionally high margins.
How do I handle seasonal fluctuations in fixed costs?
Some costs like heating vary seasonally, but they're still considered fixed since you can't control them through sales volume. Budget based on your highest seasonal months.
Should equipment leases count as fixed or variable costs?
Equipment leases are fixed costs since you pay the same amount regardless of how much you use the equipment. Include the full monthly lease payment in your calculations.
📚 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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