Energy costs average 4-7% of revenue in a restaurant, making them the third largest expense after food and labor. Many entrepreneurs underestimate these costs and miss opportunities to save hundreds of euros per month.
What exactly are energy costs?
Energy costs consist of all electricity, gas and water your restaurant uses. This includes not just kitchen equipment, but also lighting, air conditioning, dishwashers and refrigeration.
💡 Example:
Restaurant with €40,000 revenue per month:
- Electricity: €1,200
- Gas: €800
- Water: €200
Total energy costs: €2,200 = 5.5% of revenue
Benchmark by restaurant type
Energy costs vary significantly by type of establishment. Here are typical percentages:
- Fine dining: 6-8% (lots of equipment, long opening hours)
- Casual dining: 4-6% (average consumption)
- Fast food/pizzeria: 5-7% (lots of fryers, ovens)
- Café/bistro: 3-5% (less kitchen equipment)
- Dark kitchen: 4-6% (no dining room lighting, but intensive cooking)
⚠️ Watch out:
If you're above 8%, money's probably leaking away through inefficient equipment or bad habits.
The biggest energy consumers in your kitchen
Not all appliances cost the same. Here are the biggest consumers:
- Fryer: €150-250 per month with daily use
- Combi oven: €100-180 per month
- Refrigeration/freezer: €80-150 per month (runs 24/7)
- Dishwasher: €60-120 per month
- Grill/griddle: €50-100 per month
💡 Example calculation:
Fryer running 8 hours per day:
- Power: 6 kW
- Usage per day: 8 × 6 = 48 kWh
- Per month (25 working days): 1,200 kWh
- Costs (€0.30/kWh): €360 per month
How do you calculate your energy costs percentage?
The formula's simple:
Energy costs % = (Total energy costs per month / Revenue per month) × 100
💡 Practical example:
Restaurant De Smaak:
- Monthly revenue: €35,000
- Electricity: €1,100
- Gas: €650
- Water: €180
Calculation: (€1,930 / €35,000) × 100 = 5.5%
Where can you save the most?
The biggest savings often come from simple adjustments. But one of the most common blind spots in kitchen management is ignoring the small stuff that adds up:
- Refrigeration: Check door seals, don't set temperature too low
- Lighting: LED bulbs save 60-80% on lighting costs
- Equipment: Turn off appliances that aren't being used
- Maintenance: Clean filters and descaled machines use less energy
⚠️ Watch out:
A fryer set 1 degree too hot costs €30-50 extra per month. Check your thermostats regularly.
Energy costs in your cost price calculation
Energy costs are overhead and don't go directly into your food cost, but they do go into your total cost price. And determining your menu price? You need to account for:
- Food cost: 28-35%
- Labor costs: 25-35%
- Energy costs: 4-7%
- Other costs: 15-20%
- Profit: 10-15%
Tools like KitchenNmbrs can calculate your total cost price per dish, including a fair allocation of energy costs.
How do you calculate your energy costs percentage?
Gather all your energy bills
Get your last 3 months of electricity, gas and water bills. Add up the amounts and divide by 3 for your average monthly costs. Don't forget fixed costs like network management fees.
Calculate your average monthly revenue
Add up your revenue from the same 3 months and divide by 3. Use revenue excluding VAT for a fair comparison. You'll find this in your POS system or accounting records.
Apply the formula
Divide your average energy costs by your average revenue and multiply by 100. If you're above 7%, there's probably room for savings through more efficient equipment use.
✨ Pro tip
Track your daily kWh usage for 30 consecutive days to spot patterns. A 15% jump on specific weekdays often reveals equipment left running overnight unnecessarily.
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 is a normal energy cost percentage for a restaurant?
Between 4-7% of your revenue is normal. Fine dining often sits at the higher end (6-8%) due to intensive equipment use, while cafés often sit lower (3-5%).
Should I include VAT in the energy costs percentage calculation?
No, always calculate with revenue excluding VAT. The energy costs on your invoice include VAT, but for a fair comparison use revenue excl. VAT.
Which appliances cost the most energy?
Fryers, combi ovens and refrigeration are the biggest consumers. A fryer can cost €200-300 per month, refrigeration €100-150 because it runs 24/7.
How often should I check my energy costs?
Check your percentage monthly. If it suddenly rises, an appliance might be broken or used inefficiently. Early detection saves money.
Can I include energy costs in my food cost calculation?
Energy costs belong in overhead, not food cost. But you do need to include them in your total cost price to determine if your menu price is high enough.
Do energy costs differ between summer and winter months?
Yes, heating and cooling can create seasonal variations of 15-25%. Summer AC costs and winter heating both spike energy usage significantly.
Should I factor in energy costs when buying new equipment?
Absolutely. An energy-efficient combi oven might cost €2,000 more upfront but save €150 monthly in energy costs. It pays for itself within 14 months.
📚 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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