Teaching your team to read kitchen numbers is like giving them a compass in the wilderness. Most kitchen staff don't understand what food cost means or why portion sizes directly impact profitability. Create a simple guide that transforms confusion into clarity.
Which figures are crucial for your team?
Your team doesn't need every financial detail, but they must grasp the basics that shape their daily work:
- Food cost percentage: how much of the selling price covers ingredients
- Portion size: exact grams/ml of each ingredient per plate
- Cost price per dish: what all ingredients together actually cost
- Selling price excl. VAT: your real earnings per dish
- Waste costs: the price of discarded ingredients
💡 Example of team guide:
Steak menu (€32.00 menu price):
- Steak: 200g = €6.40
- Vegetables: €1.80
- Potatoes: €1.20
- Sauce: €0.60
Total ingredients: €10.00 (food cost: 34%)
Make it visual and practical
An effective team guide isn't a complex spreadsheet but a clear reference that belongs in the kitchen. Use these elements:
- Photos of the dishes showing proper portion sizes
- Color coding: green for profitable dishes, orange for caution
- Plain language: skip the financial jargon completely
- Precise measurements: never "a splash" but always "50ml"
⚠️ Note:
Don't just tell your team WHAT to do, but also WHY. "200g steak, because at 250g we lose money on this dish."
Focus on daily impact
Show your team how minor variations create major consequences. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen how this awareness transforms behavior:
💡 Example impact calculation:
5 grams extra butter per plate:
- Butter: €12 per kilo = €0.06 per 5 grams
- 100 covers per day = €6 per day
- 6 days per week = €36 per week
- 52 weeks = €1,872 per year
Small differences, massive impact!
Make it part of the routine
The most brilliant guide fails if your team ignores it daily. Build these habits into your workflow:
- Daily check: spend 5 minutes before service reviewing portion sizes
- Weekly update: discuss price changes or recipe modifications
- Monthly evaluation: analyze which dishes perform well and which struggle
Many restaurant owners rely on systems like tools like KitchenNmbrs to track these figures automatically and share them with staff, eliminating manual calculations.
💡 Template for team guide:
For each dish you include:
- Photo of the finished plate
- Exact portion size per ingredient
- Total cost price of ingredients
- "Watch out" points for expensive ingredients
- Financial impact of over-portioning
Involve your team in the figures
Create ownership by giving your team insight into actual results. Share these weekly updates:
- Top performing dishes: which ones are both profitable AND popular?
- Problem areas: where is profit disappearing?
- Improvement opportunities: what adjustments can we make?
A team that understands why consistency matters will naturally work with greater precision.
How do you create a team guide for figures?
Gather the basic data per dish
Make a list of your 10 best-selling dishes with exact ingredients, quantities and cost prices. Calculate the food cost percentage per dish.
Make it visual and understandable
Use photos, colors and simple language. Include concrete grams and liters instead of vague descriptions like "a splash".
Explain the impact in euros
Show what extra ingredients cost per day, week and year. This makes it concrete and understandable why precision is important.
Build it into the daily routine
Discuss the figures briefly before each service and update the guide weekly. Make it part of the work, not an extra task.
Evaluate and improve together
Discuss monthly with your team which dishes are doing well and where improvements are needed. Involve them in decisions about portion size and recipes.
✨ Pro tip
Create a laminated quick-reference card showing your 8 most popular dishes with portion weights and place it at the pass - your team can verify portions in under 15 seconds during busy service.
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
How much detail should I share with my team?
Share the essentials that impact their daily work: portion sizes, cost prices, and why accuracy matters. You don't need a complete financial breakdown, but provide enough context so they understand their role in profitability.
How do I prevent my team from ignoring the guide?
Integrate it into daily routines and clearly explain its importance. Show them how their precision directly contributes to restaurant success and involve them in reviewing results.
Do I need to include all dishes in the guide?
Start with your 10 highest-volume dishes since they create the biggest profit impact. You can add other menu items once your team masters the system.
What if my team finds the figures overwhelming?
Begin with just portion sizes and dish costs, then gradually introduce more complexity. Always use real examples from your own kitchen rather than abstract numbers.
How should I handle price fluctuations in the guide?
Update prices and portions monthly at minimum, or immediately when suppliers change their rates. Fresh information keeps the guide relevant and trustworthy.
Can I share this digitally with my team?
Digital guides are actually easier to maintain and distribute. Many systems allow you to share recipes and cost data directly to team members' phones for instant access.
📚 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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