Guides
Straight answers to the numbers that run a restaurant
Prime cost, food cost, labor cost, pour cost, delivery commissions: what each one means, what's healthy for your kind of restaurant, and what to do about a number that's off.
- Costs5 min read
Why is my restaurant busy but not making money?
Why a busy restaurant can still lose money, the six places the money usually goes, and the order to check your numbers in. - Costs7 min read
Restaurant prime cost: formula and targets
What restaurant prime cost is, the formula, targets by restaurant type (bars included), and the weekly routine that keeps it in check. - Kitchen7 min read
Food cost percentage: formula and targets by restaurant type
How to calculate food cost percentage and plate cost, how to compare it with the targets for your format, and how to lower a high one. - Labor8 min read
Restaurant labor cost percentage: formula and targets
How to calculate restaurant labor cost percentage, the targets by format, and how to set a sales-per-labor-hour cut line that keeps labor in range. - Bar6 min read
Bar pour cost: how to calculate and fix it
How to calculate bar pour cost for a period or a single drink, and the fixes to try when it runs high. - Delivery8 min read
Delivery app commission: what it takes and how to cover it
What a delivery app commission does to the profit on one order, how to price a delivery menu to cover it, and how to move regulars to direct ordering. - Costs5 min read
How much rent can a restaurant afford?
How to work out occupancy cost as a share of sales, the targets by restaurant type, and how much you need to sell to carry your rent.