Your new server can increase daily profit by €50-80 just by knowing which dishes to recommend. Most staff treat all menu items equally, but your carbonara loses €3.50 while your risotto earns €8.20. A simple financial priority system changes everything.
Why financial priority is crucial for new staff
Your new cook or server doesn't know that your carbonara has a food cost of 42% and your risotto only 28%. For them, they're just dishes on the menu. But you lose €3.50 per carbonara and earn €8.20 per risotto.
⚠️ Note:
New employees often push the dishes they personally like or find easy to explain. Not necessarily the profitable ones.
Create a simple color coding system
The simplest system works best. Divide your dishes into three categories:
- Green: Profit makers (food cost under 30%)
- Orange: Break-even (food cost 30-35%)
- Red: Loss makers (food cost above 35%)
💡 Example color coding:
Bistro The Golden Spoon - 12 main courses:
- ● Mushroom risotto: 28% food cost
- ● Pesto pasta: 26% food cost
- ● Steak: 33% food cost
- ● Salmon fillet: 38% food cost
- ● Carbonara: 42% food cost
Result: Push green, sell orange, avoid red.
Put the numbers on one A4 sheet
Create an overview that everyone can understand. No complicated spreadsheets, just a clear list with the essentials.
💡 Example financial overview:
DISHES DASHBOARD - Week 12
- Risotto: €16.50 sales → €4.60 profit per plate
- Pesto pasta: €14.50 sales → €5.20 profit per plate
- Steak: €28.00 sales → €3.80 profit per plate
- Salmon: €24.00 sales → €1.20 profit per plate
- Carbonara: €18.00 sales → LOSS €0.50 per plate
FOCUS: Sell more risotto and pasta!
Train your team on profitability
Explain why certain dishes matter. Not just 'sell this', but 'this keeps us running'. Most kitchen managers discover too late that their staff genuinely want to help the business succeed—they just need to understand how.
- Show the impact: "10 extra risottos = €46 more profit"
- Make the connection: "More profit = better working conditions"
- Make it personal: "Your tips come from this profit too"
⚠️ Note:
Never tell exactly how much profit you make. Do share which dishes help and which don't.
Use incentives for the right dishes
Reward your team when they sell the profitable dishes. This can be subtle and effective.
💡 Example incentive system:
Staff gets bonus per 'green' dish sold:
- Risotto sold: €1 bonus
- Pesto pasta sold: €1 bonus
- 5 green dishes in one evening: €10 extra
Costs you €1, generates €4.60 profit.
Update the overview monthly
Supplier prices change. Your food cost from last month might not be accurate this month. Keep your overview current.
- Review your top 8 dishes every 4 weeks
- Adjust the colors if food cost changes
- Communicate changes directly to your team
Digital dashboard for real-time insight
Tools like KitchenNmbrs automatically calculate your food cost per dish and show right away which ones are profitable. Your team can see on their phone which dishes are a priority, without you having to print a new A4 every month.
How do you create a financial dashboard? (step by step)
Calculate the food cost of all your main courses
Add up all ingredient costs per dish. Divide by your sales price excl. VAT and multiply by 100. Dishes above 35% food cost are loss makers.
Create a color-coded overview
Green for under 30% food cost, orange for 30-35%, red for above 35%. Print this on one A4 and hang it in the kitchen and at the bar.
Train your team on the financial impact
Explain that green dishes keep the business running. Show concrete profit per plate. Make clear why some dishes are a priority without sharing exact profit figures.
✨ Pro tip
Print your top 6 profitable dishes on bright green paper and tape it inside the server station within 24 hours of hiring. New staff will reference it constantly during their first 2 weeks.
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 tell my team how much profit I make per dish?
No, only share which dishes are profitable and which aren't. They don't need to know exact profit figures, just the priority.
How often should I update the overview?
At least monthly, or immediately if your supplier raises prices. Food cost can change quickly due to ingredient price fluctuations.
What if new employees ask why certain dishes are red?
Explain honestly that the ingredient costs are too high compared to the selling price. That doesn't mean the dish is bad, just that it doesn't work financially.
Can I just remove red dishes from the menu?
You can, but often it's better to first adjust the price or reduce the portion size. Some dishes are popular and attract customers.
How do I motivate my team to sell green dishes?
By explaining that these dishes keep the business healthy and their job secure. Small bonuses per green dish sold also work well.
What if a customer specifically asks for a red dish?
Serve it with a smile—customer satisfaction matters too. But don't actively promote loss-making items unless requested.
Should I show food costs to kitchen staff differently than servers?
Kitchen staff can handle more detail since they control portions and waste. Servers need simpler guidance focused on recommendations and upselling profitable items.
📚 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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