Blog
What's changing in restaurant costs, and what to do about it
Short, sourced posts for independent owners: food prices, menu prices, labor, fees and cash flow. For the formulas and the targets for your type of restaurant, see the guides.
Written by Felix S. Pavel. Posts are drafted with AI help, and every figure is checked against the sources listed under each post.
- Prices7 min read
How much should you raise menu prices? Work it out per dish
Work out each dish's raise from its own plate cost and your target food cost, then use one formula to see how many guests you can lose before a price rise leaves you worse off. - Costs7 min read
Rising beef prices: what to do with your beef dishes
What USDA's latest data says about beef prices, and how to re-cost each beef dish and decide between a higher price, a smaller portion, a different cut or blend, or pushing other dishes. - Labor8 min read
Minimum wage increase 2027: what it costs your restaurant
The January 1, 2027 minimum wage increases confirmed on official pages, and how to budget them: the extra weekly cost, the new labor percentage, and when to reprice, trim hours or absorb it. - Cash flow7 min read
Restaurant sales down? What to check before you cut
Before you cut, find which number fell: guests or average check, on which days and channels, against the same weeks last year. Then check break-even and cut only what guests won't miss.