Many prices on hospitality menus were once set by gut feeling and then raised by a few percent each year. Meanwhile purchase prices for butter, meat and vegetables have fluctuated sharply. Time to do the maths again.
Start with the plate
Make a recipe card for every dish with exact quantities and the current purchase price, including trim loss. A 200-gram steak on the plate quickly needs 240 grams bought in.
A 200-gram steak on the plate quickly needs 240 grams bought in.
Food cost as a guide
Most restaurants aim for a food cost of 28 to 32 percent of the selling price excluding VAT. A dish with €7 of ingredients therefore needs to bring in at least €22 excluding VAT — around €25 on the menu.
Stars and workhorses
Menu engineering plots your dishes on two axes: popularity and margin. Stars sell well and earn well: give them pride of place. Dishes that sell little and earn little deserve a critical look — or the bin.
About the author
Horeca Benelux
Editorial team · Horeca Benelux
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