Every morning at 6 AM, smart restaurant owners make a crucial decision about portion control. A 200-gram steak that becomes 250 grams costs you €3 extra per plate. But a garnish that's 10 grams too heavy? Just 5 cents.
The impact matrix: sales volume × ingredient cost
Start with your 10 best-selling dishes. Check two things for each dish: how often you sell it per week, and what do the main ingredients cost? Dishes that sell frequently and have expensive ingredients deserve the most attention.
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 3 popular dishes:
- Steak: 80x/week, main ingredient €8/portion
- Pasta: 120x/week, main ingredient €2/portion
- Salmon: 40x/week, main ingredient €6/portion
Priority: 1) Steak, 2) Pasta, 3) Salmon
Expensive ingredients = strict control
Ingredients above €15 per kilo always deserve strict portion control. Think meat, fish, shellfish, truffles, premium cheeses. A 20-gram difference at €25/kg costs you 50 cents per plate. At 100 portions per week: €2,600 per year.
- Always weigh: Steak, ribeye, salmon fillet, lobster, wagyu
- Usually weigh: Chicken thigh, pork tenderloin, tuna, premium vegetables
- Less critical: Rice, pasta, potatoes, standard vegetables
Garnishes and side dishes: weighing vs. eyeballing
Garnishes seem small, but can pack a punch financially. An extra scoop of grated truffle (€2) or additional slice of prosciutto (€1.50) adds up fast. Standard vegetables like carrot or onion? Much less critical.
⚠️ Watch out:
Sauces are often forgotten, but crème fraîche, truffle mayonnaise, or fresh herbs can cost €0.50-€1.50 per portion. Include this in your food cost calculations.
Team training: who weighs what?
Not everyone needs to weigh everything. Train your experienced cooks for expensive items, have interns handle standard side dishes. And here's a pattern we see repeatedly in restaurant financials: places with clear weighing protocols save 15-20% on food costs within three months. Make agreements crystal clear: always weigh main ingredients, garnishes only on premium dishes.
💡 Example kitchen rules:
- Meat and fish: always use scale
- Pasta and rice: measuring cup or standard spoon
- Vegetables: eyeball, unless premium (asparagus, artichoke)
- Sauces: measuring spoon or squeeze bottle for consistency
The 80/20 rule in practice
Focus on the 20% of dishes that generate 80% of your sales. If you've got steak, salmon, and risotto under control, you don't need to stress about portion size of fries on the kids' menu. Put your energy where the financial impact hits hardest.
Digital support for your team
An app like KitchenNmbrs helps you document which ingredients are critical for each dish. Your team immediately sees which items need weighing and which can be estimated. This prevents kitchen debates and ensures consistency across shifts.
How do you determine which dishes need strict portion control?
Make a list of your 10 best-selling dishes
Check your POS system or note down for a week which dishes sell the most. Also count the number of portions per dish per week.
Calculate main ingredient costs per dish
Look only at the most expensive ingredients per dish (meat, fish, premium vegetables). Ignore rice, pasta, and standard garnishes for now.
Multiply sales volume × ingredient costs
Dishes with high sales AND expensive ingredients get priority. A steak sold 80 times per week deserves more attention than lobster sold 5 times per week.
Set weighing rules per ingredient category
Make clear agreements: ingredients above €15/kg always weigh, between €5-15/kg weigh for popular dishes, below €5/kg can be estimated.
✨ Pro tip
Track your 3 highest-cost proteins for exactly 14 days. Measure the weight variance between different cooks - you'll spot which dishes need immediate portion control.
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 weigh all ingredients or just the main ones?
Focus first on main ingredients above €15 per kilo. Only weigh garnishes and side dishes if they're expensive (truffles, premium cheese) or if the dish sells frequently.
How do I train my team to weigh consistently?
Make clear rules per ingredient and post them in the kitchen. Have experienced cooks handle expensive items and train new staff first on less critical dishes.
What if my chef says weighing takes too much time?
Do the math: 20 grams extra steak per portion costs €3,600 per year at 60 portions per week. Those extra 10 seconds of weighing pay for themselves 100 times over.
Which ingredients can I always estimate without weighing?
Rice, pasta, standard vegetables like onion and carrot, and cheap garnishes. Use measuring cups or standard spoons for these to maintain consistency.
⚠️ EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Allergen Information — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj
The allergen information on this page is based on EU Regulation 1169/2011. Recipes and ingredients may vary by supplier. Always verify current allergen information with your supplier and communicate this correctly to your guests. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for allergic reactions.
In the UK, the FSA enforces allergen regulations under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
📚 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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