Last Tuesday, a chef ordered 5 kg of beef tenderloin at €45/kg but only received 4.6 kg. Without adjusting the cost price, every steak sold that week lost an extra €2.17 in hidden costs. Most kitchen managers don't realize how these small discrepancies destroy their margins over time.
Why delivery discrepancies eat into your profit
Every week you receive deliveries. Sometimes the weight doesn't match, sometimes the quality is lower so you have to trim more. And if you don't track this stuff, your system calculates recipes with completely wrong prices.
💡 Example:
You order 5 kg of beef steak at €28/kg = €140 total
- Delivered: 4.7 kg (difference: 0.3 kg)
- Actual price: €140 / 4.7 kg = €29.79/kg
- Difference per kg: €1.79 more than expected
Per 250g beef steak you're paying €0.45 extra without knowing it.
Types of delivery discrepancies
There are three main types that mess with your cost price:
- Weight difference: You receive less than ordered
- Quality loss: You have to trim more due to poor quality
- Wrong products: You receive a more expensive variant than ordered
The registration system
For each delivery you check three things and record the differences. It's something most kitchen managers discover too late - but once you start tracking, the numbers tell a clear story.
💡 Example registration:
Salmon fillet, Tuesday March 15
- Ordered: 3 kg at €24/kg
- Delivered: 2.8 kg (scale check)
- Usable after trimming: 2.6 kg
- Actual cost price: €72 / 2.6 kg = €27.69/kg
⚠️ Note:
Always measure upon arrival. Claiming from your supplier afterwards becomes difficult without proof.
Calculate cost price correction
The formula is simple but crucial for your profitability:
Actual cost price = Total invoice value / Actual usable weight
💡 Example calculation:
Beef tenderloin order
- Invoice: €180 for 4 kg (€45/kg)
- Delivered weight: 3.9 kg
- After trimming: 3.6 kg usable
- Actual cost price: €180 / 3.6 kg = €50/kg
You're paying €5/kg more than expected - that's €1.25 extra per 250g beef steak.
Pass it through to your recipes
Update your recipe costs directly with the actual prices. Otherwise your food cost calculations won't add up and you'll lose money on every plate.
- Replace the purchase price in your recipe system
- Recalculate the cost price of all dishes with this ingredient
- Check if your selling price still makes sense at the new cost price
Address your suppliers
With structural discrepancies you need a conversation. One-time issues happen, but weekly 5-10% shortages indicate a pattern.
💡 Example conversation:
"The last 4 salmon deliveries were between 3-7% under the ordered weight. Can we solve this or should we adjust the price to the actual weight?"
Digital vs manual tracking
Many kitchens work with paper lists, but then you lose track of patterns. Digital systems let you enter actual cost prices directly and automatically recalculate your recipe costs.
⚠️ Note:
Update your cost prices within 24 hours. The longer you wait, the more dishes you sell with the wrong margin.
How do you register delivery discrepancies? (step by step)
Check every delivery immediately
Weigh all products upon arrival and compare with your order. Note the weight difference and check the quality. Take photos of damaged products.
Calculate the actual cost price
Divide the total invoice value by the actual usable weight. This gives you the real price per kilo you need to use in your recipes.
Update your recipe costs immediately
Replace the old purchase price with the actual cost price in your system. Recalculate all dishes containing this ingredient and check if your selling prices still make sense.
✨ Pro tip
Weigh your 3 most expensive protein deliveries every Tuesday and Friday for the next month. Even a €1.50/kg difference on your prime ingredients can cost you €200+ monthly.
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
Do I need to weigh every delivery?
For expensive products like meat and fish, absolutely. For vegetables and shelf-stable items you can spot-check randomly. But when in doubt, always weigh.
What if my supplier consistently delivers too little?
Address this directly with documentation. With repeated shortages you can negotiate a lower price that reflects actual weight or find a more reliable supplier.
How often should I update my recipe costs?
Immediately after each delivery where you notice a discrepancy. Don't wait until week-end because every day you're selling dishes with incorrect margins.
Can I claim discrepancies from my supplier?
Yes, if you measure and document everything immediately. Photos and weighing receipts help your case. Most suppliers will credit the difference on your next invoice.
What's considered a normal delivery discrepancy?
For fresh products, 2-3% difference is normal due to dehydration during transport. Anything above 5% is significant and worth addressing.
Should I adjust my menu prices when cost prices increase?
Run the numbers first. If your food cost percentage goes above your target margin, you'll need to either adjust prices or find cost savings elsewhere.
How do I handle partial deliveries or substitutions?
Calculate the cost impact immediately and decide if you accept the substitution. Often suppliers send premium products as substitutes but charge the higher price.
📚 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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