Restaurants that involve their kitchen staff in cost management see 23% better food cost control than those that don't. Yet most owners assume their team isn't interested in margins and numbers. The reality? Your staff often wants to help but lacks the right tools and context.
Why involving your team in numbers is crucial
You can crunch food cost calculations all day as an owner, but if your chef gives oversized portions or servers ignore waste, profit still bleeds out. Your team witnesses what happens on the line and floor daily - they hold the best insights.
💡 Example:
A chef notices that many guests leave the garnish on their plate with a certain dish. That information is gold:
- Garnish costs €1.20 per plate
- 50 portions per week = €60 waste
- Per year: €3,120 in unnecessary costs
By knowing this, you can adjust or remove the garnish.
Start with the right mindset
Don't enter conversations thinking your team "needs number training." Approach from their expertise: they spot what goes wrong, you know how to translate that into dollars. It's collaboration, not instruction.
- Frame it as: "You notice things I miss - help me understand what's happening"
- Not: "You need better cost awareness"
- Focus on problem-solving, not oversight
Ask the right questions
Use open questions that spark thinking about daily situations they encounter. Start with real scenarios they see, not abstract percentages.
💡 Good starter questions:
- "Which dishes do you love making? Which ones frustrate you?"
- "Where does most food end up in the trash?"
- "Which dishes do we constantly run short on ingredients for?"
- "What do guests consistently leave untouched?"
Discuss concrete situations
Talk through real examples from your kitchen. Take a popular dish and walk through what's involved in making it together. This is one of the most common blind spots in kitchen management - assuming staff understand cost implications without connecting them to actual prep work.
⚠️ Watch out:
Don't make it about individual performance. Focus on improving systems, not pointing fingers. If someone's giving oversized portions, ask "how can we make portions consistent?" instead of "you're giving too much."
Ask about tools and support
Your team usually knows exactly what would help them work better but doesn't always voice it. Ask directly what they need.
- "What would help you nail consistent portions every time?"
- "How can we track waste more effectively?"
- "What would make temperature logging simpler?"
- "What info do you need to make better decisions?"
💡 Common answers:
- "Better scale for consistent portions"
- "Laminated recipe cards that won't get destroyed"
- "Quick app for temperature logs"
- "Simple breakdown of dish costs"
Make numbers relevant to their work
Transform abstract percentages into concrete outcomes they grasp. Show what it means if a dish's food cost jumps from 30% to 35%.
💡 Translation to practice:
"If we use 5 grams less cheese per pizza:"
- Savings per pizza: €0.15
- With 200 pizzas per week: €30
- Per year: €1,560 extra profit
"That's enough for better equipment or team bonuses."
Listen to resistance
If your team pushes back, dig into why. There are usually valid reasons you can address.
- "Too much paperwork" → Find simple digital alternatives
- "No time" → Start with one small weekly change
- "Too complicated" → Use visual guides
- "Feels like micromanaging" → Explain it's about improvement, not surveillance
Give them ownership
Let your team generate solutions themselves. If they create the idea, they'll actually implement it.
⚠️ Watch out:
Don't rush to implement every suggestion immediately. Pick one or two things together to start with. Too many changes at once creates chaos.
How do you have this conversation? (step by step)
Plan a quiet moment
Choose a time when there's no stress and everyone has time. Not during the rush, but for example after lunch or before service starts. Make clear that it's not a performance review, but a brainstorming session.
Start with appreciation
Start with what they do well. For example: "You make sure quality is always top-notch, now I want to see how we can do that even more efficiently." This sets the right tone for the conversation.
Ask open questions about their experience
Ask about situations they encounter daily. "What challenges do you run into?" "What would make your work easier?" Really listen to the answers and take notes.
Translate their input into numbers
Take a concrete example they mention and calculate together what it means. Show how their observation translates to euros. This makes the conversation tangible.
Ask what they need
"What do you need to solve this?" Let them come up with solutions. They often know exactly what would help, but have never had the chance to say it.
✨ Pro tip
Schedule 15-minute one-on-one conversations with each team member over the next 3 weeks to understand their specific number-related challenges. Individual discussions often reveal insights that group meetings miss.
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Frequently asked questions
What if my team says numbers aren't their responsibility?
Explain it's not about accounting - it's about working smarter. Compare it to following a recipe: you use precise measurements because it improves results. Numbers are just tools for consistency.
How do I prevent conversations from feeling like surveillance?
Focus on solving problems, not finding blame. Say upfront: "This isn't about who did what wrong - it's about improving our systems." Ask for their expertise instead of lecturing.
What if they claim no time for extra documentation?
Acknowledge that concern and find solutions that save time rather than add work. An app for temperature logging beats paper lists. Better portion control means fewer customer complaints.
Should I share all financial numbers with my team?
Share numbers relevant to their daily work. They don't need your full P&L, but should understand what their dishes cost and how efficiency impacts the bottom line.
How do I handle pushback against changes?
Start small with one thing they suggested themselves. Prove it works before asking for more. Resistance often stems from past experiences with "systems" that added work without benefits.
What if different team members want conflicting tools?
Prioritize solutions that solve the biggest cost problems first. A scale for consistent portions might help more than a fancy app. Test one solution for 30 days before adding others.
How often should I have these number conversations?
Start with monthly check-ins, then adjust based on what works. Some teams prefer quick weekly touchpoints, others need more time between discussions. Let results and comfort levels guide frequency.
📚 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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