An aperitif arrangement often has a higher margin than individual drinks, but only if you calculate the costs correctly. Many restaurant owners underestimate the costs of snacks and garnishes, which disappoints the margin. In this article you'll learn step by step how to calculate the actual margin on an aperitif arrangement.
What's included in the cost price of an aperitif arrangement?
Most restaurant owners only think about the drink price for an aperitif arrangement. But there's much more involved:
- Drinks: wine, beer, cocktails, non-alcoholic
- Snacks: cheese, cold cuts, nuts, olives, bread
- Garnish: lemon slices, olives in cocktails, fresh herbs
- Tableware: glasses, plates, napkins (if you charge for this)
- Labor: time to prepare and serve snacks
⚠️ Note:
Alcoholic drinks have 21% VAT, not 9%. This affects your margin calculation. Always calculate with prices excluding VAT.
The basic formula for margin calculation
For an aperitif arrangement you use the same formula as for dishes, but for the entire arrangement:
Margin % = ((Selling price excl. VAT - Total costs) / Selling price excl. VAT) × 100
Or the other way around, if you know the costs:
Cost price % = (Total costs / Selling price excl. VAT) × 100
💡 Example aperitif arrangement for 2 people:
Selling price: €24.20 incl. 21% VAT = €20.00 excl. VAT
- 2 glasses of prosecco: €3.60
- Cheese and cold cuts board: €2.40
- Olives and nuts: €1.20
- Bread and butter: €0.80
Total costs: €8.00
Margin: ((€20.00 - €8.00) / €20.00) × 100 = 60%
How do you calculate drink costs correctly?
For drink costs you calculate per glass or portion. Pay attention to the correct quantities:
- Wine per glass: 125ml from 750ml bottle = 6 glasses per bottle
- Prosecco: 100-125ml per glass = 6-7 glasses per bottle
- Beer: usually 250ml or 330ml bottles
- Cocktails: add up all ingredients (spirit, mixers, garnish)
💡 Example prosecco calculation:
Bottle of prosecco: €10.80 purchase price
- 6 glasses per bottle
- Cost price per glass: €10.80 / 6 = €1.80
- For 2 glasses: €3.60
Calculate snack cost price
Snacks are often underestimated in cost price. Calculate per person and add everything up:
- Cheese: 30-40 grams per person
- Cold cuts: 25-35 grams per person
- Bread: 1-2 slices per person
- Olives: 5-8 pieces per person
- Nuts: 15-20 grams per person
💡 Example snacks for 2 people:
- 60g cheese at €18/kg = €1.08
- 50g cold cuts at €24/kg = €1.20
- 10 olives at €8/kg = €0.32
- 30g nuts at €12/kg = €0.36
- 2 slices bread + butter = €0.44
Total snacks: €3.40
Standard margins for aperitif arrangements
Aperitif arrangements often have higher margins than main courses, because guests are willing to pay more for the experience:
- Standard margin: 55-70%
- Cost price percentage: 30-45%
- Minimum margin: 50% (otherwise it's not worth it)
⚠️ Note:
If your margin drops below 50%, you probably earn more by selling drinks and snacks separately. Always check this.
Include labor time in the cost price
Don't forget labor time. An aperitif arrangement requires more work than just pouring drinks:
- Assembling the board: 3-5 minutes
- Serving and explaining: 2-3 minutes
- Clearing up: 2 minutes
At an hourly wage of €15 this costs approximately €2.00 in labor per arrangement.
How do you calculate the margin of an aperitif arrangement?
Make a list of all costs
Write down all drinks, snacks, garnishes and possibly labor time. Don't forget anything: even the olive in the cocktail and the bread roll count towards the cost price.
Calculate the costs per item
Work out what each drink costs per glass and each snack per portion. Note: alcoholic drinks have 21% VAT, so calculate with the price excluding VAT.
Add up all costs and calculate the margin
Sum all costs and divide by your selling price excluding VAT. Subtract this from 100% to get your margin. Above 50%? Then you have a healthy margin.
✨ Pro tip
Check your 3 most popular aperitif arrangements every month. If those are good on margin, you have 80% of your drink profit under control.
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 include labor time in the cost price of an aperitif?
That depends on how detailed you want to calculate. For a quick check you can leave it out. For an exact margin calculation you calculate approximately €2.00 labor time per arrangement.
What VAT should I charge on an aperitif arrangement?
Alcoholic drinks have 21% VAT, snacks usually 9%. If the arrangement contains both, calculate with a mixed rate or split the bill.
What is a good margin on an aperitif arrangement?
A healthy margin is between 55-70%. Below 50% the arrangement usually doesn't pay off and you're better off selling drinks and snacks separately.
How often should I check my aperitif prices?
Check your purchase prices at least every 3 months, especially for cheese, cold cuts and wine. These prices fluctuate regularly and can significantly affect your margin.
Can I have different arrangements with different margins?
Yes, that's smart. A luxury arrangement with champagne can have 70% margin, while a simple beer-and-snacks arrangement sits around 55%.
📚 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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