Running a restaurant without knowing exact wage costs is like cooking without measuring ingredients - you're bound to mess up the recipe. The minimum wage in hospitality in the Netherlands is €13.68 per hour in 2025 for employees aged 21 and older, matching the general minimum wage. You need to factor these wage costs properly into your pricing structure.
Hospitality minimum wage 2025 - all ages
The Netherlands has one minimum wage for all sectors, including hospitality. As of January 1, 2025, these are the amounts:
💡 Minimum wage 2025:
- 21 years and older: €13.68 per hour
- 20 years: €10.95 per hour (80%)
- 19 years: €9.59 per hour (70%)
- 18 years: €8.22 per hour (60%)
- 17 years: €6.84 per hour (50%)
- 16 years: €5.89 per hour (43%)
- 15 years: €5.47 per hour (40%)
Real costs per hour for employers
The minimum wage is what goes to your employee, but you'll pay significantly more. On top of gross salary come employer contributions:
💡 Example real costs:
Employee aged 22, €13.68 per hour:
- Gross salary: €13.68
- Employer contribution unemployment insurance: €0.82 (6%)
- Employer contribution disability insurance: €0.96 (7%)
- Holiday pay (8%): €1.09
- Pension (estimate): €0.68
Total costs: approximately €17.25 per hour
Impact on your pricing strategy
Labor costs are your second largest expense after food cost. From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, I've seen that labor costs should stay between 25-30% of revenue to maintain profitability.
⚠️ Important:
Always calculate with actual costs (€17+ per hour), not just gross salary. Otherwise you'll underestimate your labor costs by 25%.
Hospitality collective agreement - higher wages possible
Many hospitality businesses fall under the Hospitality Collective Agreement. This can require higher wages than statutory minimum wage, depending on:
- Job level (service, cook, chef)
- Experience and age
- Type of business (restaurant, café, hotel)
- Work area (larger cities often higher)
Always verify if your business falls under a collective agreement. This determines your minimum labor costs.
Passing costs through to menu prices
To determine how much labor costs you need to build into each dish:
💡 Calculation labor costs per cover:
Restaurant with 100 covers per day:
- Daily labor costs kitchen + service: €600
- Number of covers: 100
- Labor costs per cover: €6.00
At an average bill of €25, your labor costs are 24% - that's healthy.
Minimum wage vs. productivity
It's not just about the minimum wage, but about productivity per euro of labor costs. An experienced employee costing €18 per hour but working 50% faster beats someone on minimum wage.
Invest in training and keeping good staff. The costs of turnover (recruitment, training, mistakes) often exceed paying a higher hourly wage.
How do you calculate your actual labor costs?
Determine the gross hourly wage
Start with the minimum wage for your employee's age, or the collective agreement wage if that's higher. For 21+ that's €13.68 per hour in 2025.
Add employer contributions
Add 13% for unemployment and disability insurance premiums, 8% holiday pay, and approximately 5% for pension. Total approximately 26% on top of the gross salary.
Calculate costs per dish
Divide your total daily labor costs by the number of covers. This gives you the labor costs you need to pass through per dish in your menu price.
✨ Pro tip
Track your labor cost percentage weekly during your first 3 months of operation. Many new restaurant owners discover their initial wage budgets were 15-20% too low once they account for all the hidden costs.
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
Is there a separate minimum wage for hospitality?
No, the Netherlands has one statutory minimum wage for all sectors. However, the Hospitality Collective Agreement can require higher wages than the statutory minimum.
Can I pay students below the minimum wage?
Only if they're under 21 years old. Then lower percentages apply. An 18-year-old, for example, receives 60% of the adult minimum wage.
What percentage of my revenue should labor costs be?
For restaurants, 25-30% of revenue is a healthy ratio. At higher percentages it becomes difficult to remain profitable.
Do I have to pay collective agreement wages as a small business owner?
That depends on your business and number of employees. Check with your industry organization if you fall under the Hospitality Collective Agreement. Often this applies from a certain number of employees.
How often is the minimum wage adjusted?
Twice a year: January 1 and July 1. The government determines this based on average collective agreement wage increases. Plan your budget accordingly.
What about tips - can I count those toward minimum wage?
No, tips cannot be counted toward meeting minimum wage requirements. You must pay the full minimum wage regardless of tip income your staff receives.
Are there different rates for weekend or holiday work?
The minimum wage itself doesn't change, but collective agreements often require premium rates for evenings, weekends, and holidays. Check your specific agreement for these rates.
📚 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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