Picture this: you start sharing cost figures with your kitchen and service teams, hoping for better collaboration. Instead, the kitchen blames the servers for portion complaints while the front-of-house points fingers at food waste. Transparency without the right approach creates more problems than it solves.
Why sharing figures goes wrong
Most hospitality businesses keep numbers locked away or only share them with managers. The result? Nobody understands why certain decisions get made. When you suddenly start sharing figures, people assume they're being watched and judged.
⚠️ Watch out:
Blame surfaces when people think figures will be used against them. Focus on solutions, not finding who's at fault.
Focus on team goals instead of individual blame
Frame figures as a shared challenge. Don't say "The kitchen's wasting too much." Try "Together we can save €500 monthly by cutting waste."
💡 Example:
Instead of: "Your food cost is 38%, that's too high"
Say: "Our food cost sits at 38%. Drop that to 32%, and we'll have €800 extra monthly for premium ingredients and team rewards"
Highlight benefits for everyone
Start with positive figures
Always lead with what's working before tackling problems. This keeps people from getting defensive immediately.
- "Our customer satisfaction hits 4.7 stars"
- "We're pulling 15% more revenue than last year"
- "Waste dropped from 12% to 8%"
Then add: "Now let's see where we can push even further."
Use industry comparisons
People accept figures more readily when they understand monitoring them is standard practice. Show them what's normal in hospitality - a pattern we see repeatedly in restaurant financials is that transparency becomes less threatening when contextualized against industry benchmarks.
💡 Example:
"Typical restaurant food costs run 28% to 35%. We're at 38%."
"That's not catastrophic, but hitting 32% means €600 extra monthly."
This normalizes it as business practice, not personal criticism
Make it concrete and understandable
Skip percentages if people don't grasp what they mean. Convert everything to euros and real consequences.
- 5% waste = €300 monthly thrown away
- 2 extra minutes per plate = 1 hour less for other tasks
- 3% higher food cost = €500 less profit monthly
Give people influence over solutions
Ask the team to brainstorm instead of dictating fixes. People who contribute ideas are far less likely to blame each other.
💡 Example:
"Our waste sits at 12%. What do you think drives the biggest losses?"
"How should we tackle this as a team?"
Let them develop solutions themselves
Share positive developments too
When figures improve because of team efforts, broadcast that news. People need to see their work paying off.
- "Your extra attention cut waste from 12% to 8%"
- "Food cost improved from 38% to 34% - that's €400 monthly savings"
- "Tighter portioning adds €200 to our monthly bottom line"
Use tools that normalize transparency
When figures stay visible constantly, checking them becomes routine. A dashboard where everyone can see numbers means no more surprise revelations.
⚠️ Watch out:
Don't jump from secretive to completely open overnight. Build transparency gradually.
Tools like KitchenNmbrs can help share figures clearly without feeling like surveillance. Teams can then spot opportunities for themselves.
How do you share figures without blame? (step by step)
Start by setting team goals
Explain why you're looking at figures: to get better together, not to find culprits. Make it a shared challenge with benefits for everyone.
Start with positive figures
Share what's going well first before discussing problems. This prevents defensive behavior and shows you're not just looking for mistakes.
Translate into concrete euros
Don't just talk in percentages. Explain what figures mean in euros per month and what the consequences are for the team.
Ask the team to think along on solutions
Don't impose solutions. Ask the team what they think the causes are and how they would tackle it.
Celebrate improvements together
When figures improve because of team actions, share that and acknowledge their effort. Show that their work makes a difference.
✨ Pro tip
Track just your waste figures in euros per week for the first 30 days - nothing else. Once that becomes normal conversation, add food cost percentages.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Was this article helpful?
Frequently asked questions
What if my team still gets defensive about figures?
Keep reinforcing that you're improving together, not hunting for blame. Pick one small improvement area and show that their input matters.
Do I need to share all figures with my team?
No, start with numbers that directly impact their work like food cost, waste, and customer satisfaction. Financial details like profit margins can stay private.
How often should I discuss figures with the team?
Begin with monthly reviews. Once they're comfortable, move to weekly check-ins. Daily discussions usually overwhelm unless you're addressing urgent issues.
What if different departments start blaming each other?
Shut down finger-pointing immediately. Redirect focus to shared goals and demonstrate how everyone contributes to overall results.
Can I share figures without specialized software?
Yes, but organization becomes much harder. A simple dashboard or app makes sharing figures more accessible and less intimidating.
Should I share figures during busy service periods?
Never during service rushes. Schedule dedicated 15-minute team meetings during slower periods when people can actually focus and discuss properly.
📚 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.
Give your team insight into the numbers
When your team understands what dishes cost, their behavior changes. KitchenNmbrs makes food cost visible to everyone in the kitchen. Start your free trial.
Start free trial →