Most restaurant owners turn their numbers into fancy presentations that put their team to sleep. You've got beautiful charts and perfect graphs, but your staff just nods politely while mentally planning their grocery list. Real change happens through dialogue, not monologue.
Why presentations don't work
A PowerPoint full of numbers and graphs feels professional, but creates distance. Your team sits passively listening while you talk. They don't ask questions, don't give input, and don't take ownership of the problems you're showing them.
⚠️ Watch out:
If you're the only one talking about numbers, you'll also be the only one who feels responsible for the results.
Make it a conversation, not a presentation
Instead of showing numbers, ask questions about what the team sees and experiences. Start with their observations before you bring in the numbers. This creates curiosity instead of defensiveness.
💡 Example:
Instead of: "Our food cost has gone up to 38%"
Ask: "Have you noticed we're spending more on supplies? What do you think the reason is?"
Let them think first, then show the numbers as confirmation.
Use the numbers as a starting point, not an ending point
Numbers are there to raise questions, not to end discussion. If your food cost is too high, that's not the problem — that's the symptom. The real conversation is about why it's happening and what you're going to do about it together.
- "What do you think is behind this?"
- "Where have you seen this happen before?"
- "What solutions do you see?"
- "What do we need to tackle this?"
Create ownership by analyzing together
Let your team interpret the numbers instead of doing it for them. Give them space to draw their own conclusions. From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, I've seen that people take more ownership of insights they've discovered themselves than of your analysis.
💡 Example:
"Look at these numbers from last month. What stands out to you?"
- Week 1: 32% food cost
- Week 2: 35% food cost
- Week 3: 41% food cost
- Week 4: 38% food cost
Let them discover the spike in week 3 and ask what was different that week.
Make agreements concrete and measurable
A conversation without concrete follow-up steps remains just a conversation. Make sure you decide together who will do what, when, and how you'll measure progress. Write this down where everyone can see it.
- Who will do what?
- When do we check progress?
- What numbers will show us if it's working?
- What do we do if it doesn't work?
Repeat and follow up
The conversation doesn't end after the meeting. Refer back to it regularly in the kitchen, check how things are going, and celebrate successes together. This way, discussing numbers becomes a normal part of your daily work.
✨ Pro tip:
Hold 8-minute weekly huddles every Tuesday morning, always ending with one specific action item. This rhythm keeps numbers discussions alive instead of quarterly afterthoughts.
How do you have a numbers conversation with your team?
Start with their observations
Ask what the team has noticed before you show numbers. "Have you noticed anything about costs/revenue/waste this week?" This creates curiosity instead of resistance.
Let them interpret the numbers
Show the numbers and ask: "What stands out to you?" Give them time to discover patterns themselves. People take more ownership of insights they've found themselves.
Ask for solutions
Once the problem is clear, ask: "What could we do about this?" Let the team think through solutions. Write down all ideas, even the wild ones.
Make concrete agreements
Choose 1-2 actions to start with together. Decide who does what and when you'll check progress. Write this down where everyone can see it.
Check progress regularly
Schedule short 10-minute check-ins. Discuss what's working, what's not, and what you need to adjust. Celebrate successes together.
✨ Pro tip
Hold 8-minute weekly huddles every Tuesday morning, always ending with one specific action item. This rhythm keeps numbers discussions alive instead of quarterly afterthoughts.
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Frequently asked questions
What if my team doesn't seem interested in numbers?
Start with problems they experience themselves. If the kitchen is stressed by shortages, show how better planning (using numbers) takes that stress away. Make it relevant to their daily work.
How often should I have numbers conversations?
Short 10-minute check-ins per week work better than long monthly meetings. This keeps numbers part of the routine instead of a special event.
What if someone gets blamed for bad numbers?
Focus on the system, not people. Say: "How can we prevent this?" instead of "Who did this?" Make clear that you're looking for solutions together.
Should I share all numbers with my team?
Share numbers they can influence. Food cost, waste, and portion sizes are relevant. Rent and accounting fees are not. Keep it to what they can use in their work.
What if they ask questions I don't know the answer to?
Say honestly: "Good question, I'll find out." Come back to it next time. It shows you take their input seriously and that you're still learning too.
How do I get my sous chef to speak up during these conversations?
Ask them direct questions about their specific area first. "What's happening with prep waste this week?" gives them an opening to share their expertise without feeling put on the spot.
What if the numbers show a problem but my team thinks everything's fine?
Ask them to help you understand the disconnect. Maybe they're seeing something you're missing, or the timing of your data doesn't match their daily reality. Dig deeper together.
📚 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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