Every summer you think: this is the year everything works out. Full terraces, busy evenings, finally making profit. But at the end of the season it turns out again that good revenue doesn't automatically mean profit.
The summer illusion: more revenue, not more profit
You're not alone. Many hospitality entrepreneurs think a busy summer solves all problems. More guests means more money, right? Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.
? Example:
Restaurant De Zonnebloem does €80,000 revenue in July (normally €45,000):
- Extra staff: €12,000
- Higher food costs: €28,000
- More energy, waste, consumption: €3,500
- Stress purchases at high prices: €2,800
Result: €2,100 profit (was €3,200 in a normal month)
More revenue also means more costs. And those often rise faster than you think.
Why the summer won't save you
There are four reasons why a busy summer often disappoints:
1. Your costs rise too
Extra staff, more purchases, higher energy costs. Your fixed costs don't stay fixed when your revenue doubles.
2. Your food cost gets out of hand
Stress buying, larger portions, more waste. In the rush, nobody watches the numbers.
⚠️ Watch out:
In busy periods your food cost often rises from 30% to 38-42%. At €80,000 revenue that costs you €6,400 extra per month.
3. You're working against higher purchase prices
Suppliers know you can't wait in the summer. Prices are higher, alternatives scarce.
4. Your focus is on surviving, not on profit
You think: if we just survive this rush, we'll count later. But later it's too late.
The real numbers behind a 'good summer'
Let's do the math honestly. An average restaurant with €400,000 annual revenue:
? Example calculation:
Normal month (€33,000 revenue):
- Food cost 30%: €9,900
- Staff 35%: €11,550
- Other costs 25%: €8,250
- Profit: €3,300 (10%)
Busy summer month (€65,000 revenue):
- Food cost 38%: €24,700
- Staff 42%: €27,300
- Other costs 28%: €18,200
- Loss: €5,200 (-8%)
More revenue, less profit. This is the reality for many restaurants in busy periods.
Why you keep believing in the summer solution
It's tempting to think more guests solve all problems. But that's because you focus on revenue instead of profit.
- Revenue is visible: Your till rings, a competing platformlls are high
- Costs are spread out: Extra purchases, more staff, higher bills come later
- Profit is abstract: Only at the end of the month do you see what's left
- Hope is stronger than numbers: You want to believe this time it's different
What you really need (hint: not a summer)
Instead of hoping for external salvation, you can have control over your numbers all year:
Know your real food cost
Not guessing, but knowing. Per dish, per day, per week.
Set limits on your costs
Even in busy times. Better to disappoint 10 guests than lose €1,000.
Plan your purchases
No more panic buying. Work with fixed suppliers and agreements.
? Real-world example:
Café De Vriendschap stopped 'summer thinking' and managed 32% food cost all year round. Result: €2,800 profit every month, even in January.
The first step: stop hoping, start measuring
You can start today. Check your food cost from last month. Calculate what you really earned per dish. See where your money leaks away. Most kitchen managers discover too late that their busiest months were actually their least profitable ones.
A system like tools like KitchenNmbrs helps track this automatically, so you don't have to gamble on a good summer but have control over your profit all year.
How do you get control of your profit? (step by step)
Measure your real food cost per dish
Take your 5 best-selling dishes. Add up all ingredient costs and divide by your selling price excl. VAT. If you're above 35%, you're losing money.
Set fixed limits for your costs
Determine your maximum food cost (for example 32%) and stick to it. Even in busy times. Better to remove a dish from the menu than run losses.
Check your numbers weekly
Check your total food cost every week and compare with the previous week. Big difference? Find out why and adjust immediately where needed.
✨ Pro tip
Track your actual profit per hour during your next 14-day busy period. You'll discover that Tuesday lunch with 25 covers often beats Saturday dinner with 85 covers.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Calculate it yourself?
Our free food cost calculator does it in seconds.
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Frequently asked questions
But without summer profit I won't make it anyway?
What if I have to turn away guests in the summer?
How do I know if my summer was profitable?
Can't I just charge more for my dishes?
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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