Ever noticed how quickly a conversation about food costs turns into a blame game? When numbers spike or waste piles up, the instinct is to find the culprit. But deviations are actually your kitchen's way of telling you where systems need attention.
From accusation to improvement
Most restaurant owners point fingers when deviations pop up. "Who burned through all that protein?" or "Why'd we toss so much produce?" This approach backfires - people start hiding problems instead of flagging them early.
⚠️ Watch out:
Accusations cause your team to hide problems. Then you only see deviations much later, when they've already cost you a lot of money.
Deviations as conversation starters
Swap "who did this?" for "what's causing this?" and "how do we fix it?" This shifts focus from people to processes. Your team stops defending themselves and starts problem-solving with you.
? Example:
Your steak food cost jumped from 32% to 38%. Instead of hunting for the generous portioner:
- "What might be driving this increase?"
- "Are our portion guidelines clear enough?"
- "How can we make portion control simpler?"
Result: The team collaborates instead of getting defensive.
Concrete conversation starters
These phrases open discussions without triggering defensiveness:
- "I noticed that..." - State observations without judgment
- "What's your take?" - Invite team input
- "How should we handle this?" - Focus on solutions
- "What would help you..." - Ask about needed support
? Example conversation:
"I noticed we spent €200 more on vegetables this week than budgeted. What might explain that?"
Team responses might include:
- "The delivery had tons of unusable product"
- "Heat wave killed our greens faster"
- "New prep cook isn't familiar with our portions yet"
Now you're solving problems together instead of assigning blame.
Structure for team meetings about numbers
Build number discussions into regular team meetings - it's the kind of thing you only learn after closing your first month at a loss. Frame it as shared ownership of business success, not surveillance.
- Weekly check-ins: 10-minute number reviews
- Pattern focus: Week-long trends, not single bad shifts
- Collaborative analysis: Let the team identify causes
- Action planning: What changes for next week?
Celebrating good numbers
Don't skip over positive deviations. Acknowledging good performance reinforces what's working and shows you notice more than just problems.
? Example:
"Food cost hit 29% this week - that's excellent. What worked differently from last week?"
This helps the team identify successful practices they can repeat.
Tools for objective discussions
Numbers keep conversations factual. "Waste feels high" becomes "waste jumped from 8% to 12% this week."
Tools like food cost calculators help by:
- Providing clear daily and weekly metrics
- Revealing long-term trends
- Creating objective discussion foundations
- Keeping focus on systems, not individuals
Related articles
How do you have a constructive conversation about deviations?
Gather the facts without judgment
Note what you see in figures: food cost risen from X to Y, waste from A to B. Avoid words like 'too much' or 'wrong' - only describe what you measure.
Open the conversation with curiosity
Start with 'I see that...' and ask 'What do you think could be the cause?'. Give the team space to come up with possible causes themselves.
Focus together on solutions
Ask 'How can we tackle this?' and 'What do you need to improve this?'. Make concrete agreements about who will do what and when you'll review it again.
✨ Pro tip
Review your last 3 weeks of food cost data before your next team meeting and identify one specific trend (like Tuesday lunch waste consistently running 15% higher). This gives you concrete talking points that feel less random than daily fluctuations.
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Frequently asked questions
What if my team doesn't want to think along about solutions?
How often should I discuss deviations with the team?
How do I make figures understandable for my kitchen team?
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
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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