What is a restaurant budget?
A restaurant budget is a simple plan for your money. It estimates how much you'll make in sales and how much you'll spend on food, labor, rent, and other costs so you're not guessing month to month.
7 Simple Steps to Build a Restaurant Budget
Why Every Restaurant Needs a Simple Budget
Money moves fast in a restaurant. Food orders, payroll, rent, delivery apps, repairs, taxes - it all hits your account whether sales are strong or slow. With so much going on, it's easy to lose track. Many restaurants operate on thin profit margins, often around 3-5% of sales, so even small mistakes in spending can wipe out most of your profit.
A restaurant budget is simply a plan for your money. It helps you decide, in advance, how much you expect to bring in and how much you can afford to spend on food, labor, rent, and everything else it takes to keep the doors open. Think of it as a clear, organized snapshot of your numbers.
Step 1. Gather Your Numbers Before You Start
Before you build a budget, you need to know what you're working with. Guessing leads to frustration later. The first step is simple - gather your key numbers so your budget is based on reality, not hope.
Start with sales. Pull at least the last 3-6 months of sales from your POS. If your business is seasonal, grab a full year if you can. Look at total sales, but also notice patterns - busy days, slow days, lunch vs. dinner, weekday vs. weekend. These patterns will help you set better targets later.
Next, collect your fixed costs. These are the bills that don't change much from month to month -
- Rent or mortgage
- Insurance
- Internet and phone
- Software and subscriptions (POS, timekeeping, scheduling, inventory, music, etc.)
- Loan payments or equipment leases
Then gather your variable costs, the ones that move up and down with sales -
- Food and beverage invoices
- Paper goods and disposables
- Hourly labor for front and back of house
- Delivery app commissions and fees
Pull this information from invoices, payroll reports, bank statements, and your accounting or POS system. If some numbers are messy or incomplete, use your best reasonable estimate and mark it so you can refine it later.
Finally, put everything in one place - a simple spreadsheet, a legal pad, or a notebook. The format doesn't matter. What matters is having all your numbers visible. When your information is gathered and organized, building a budget becomes much easier and faster, and your decisions become more grounded in facts instead of gut feeling.
The Smarter Choice for Maximizing Your Financial Potential
Streamline Your Restaurant's Finances with Altametrics!
Step 2. Set Realistic Sales Targets
Once you know your past numbers, the next step is deciding what you want your sales to be. This isn't about dreaming up a big number. It's about setting a clear, realistic target that you can use to plan labor, food orders, and spending.
Start with your historical sales. Look at the last 3-12 months and find the average monthly sales. Then look at patterns - were certain months higher because of holidays, patio season, or local events? Were some months always slower? Use this to set a base line.
From there, decide how much you reasonably expect sales to change. For example -
- If you're stable but not growing, you might plan for sales to stay the same.
- If you're seeing steady improvement, maybe plan for a small increase, like 3-5%.
- If you're in a tough period, it may be safer to plan on flat or slightly lower sales.
Once you pick a monthly sales target, break it down -
Monthly - Weekly (divide by 4 or by the actual number of weeks)
Weekly - Daily (based on which days you're open and usual busy/slow days)
This gives you something you can use in the real world. For example, if your weekly target is $28,000 and you know Fridays and Saturdays are your big days, you might aim for $7,000 on those days and lower targets on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Sales targets matter because they connect directly to your budget. Labor hours, food prep, and even marketing plans should be sized to match your expected sales - not guessed week by week. With clear targets, you can staff, order, and spend with a plan instead of hoping it works out.
Step 3. Estimate Your Main Costs
Now that you have your sales targets, it's time to estimate what it will cost to hit those numbers. This step turns "I hope we make money" into "Here's what we can afford to spend." You'll focus on a few main cost buckets - food, labor, and overhead.
Start with food and beverage costs (COGS). Look at your past invoices and compare them to your sales for the same period. Divide total food and beverage cost by total sales to get your food cost percentage. For example, if you spent $12,000 on food and did $40,000 in sales, your food cost is 30%. Use that percentage as a starting point. If your goal is to improve, you might aim to shave it down slightly over the next few months.
Next is labor. Include hourly staff, salaried managers (converted to a monthly or weekly number), and any benefits or payroll taxes if you track those. Divide total labor cost by total sales for the same period to get your labor percentage. Many restaurants aim for labor in a certain range, but the exact target depends on your concept and service style. Use your real numbers first, then decide what "better" looks like.
Then, estimate your overhead -
- Rent or mortgage
- Utilities (gas, electric, water)
- Insurance
- Licenses and permits
- Technology and software
- Cleaning services or linen
- Other recurring fees
Most of these are fixed or close to fixed, so you can plug in the actual amounts.
The key idea is this- you're turning your history into a set of targets. If you know you usually run 30% food cost, 28% labor, and 20% overhead, you can use those as the foundation of your budget. Later, you'll turn these estimates into clear spending limits you can manage week by week.
Step 4. Set Spending Limits and Targets
With your sales targets and cost estimates in place, it's time to turn them into clear spending limits. This is where your budget starts to feel real. Instead of thinking "our food cost should be around 30%," you'll know, "this month we can spend up to $X on food."
Start with your sales target. Let's say your monthly sales goal is $80,000. Using the percentages you estimated earlier, you can translate that into dollar limits -
- Food and beverage (for example, 30%). $24,000
- Labor (for example, 28%). $22,400
- Overhead (for example, 20%). $16,000
You don't have to use these exact numbers - they should reflect your own restaurant - but this is the idea. These dollar amounts become your maximum planned spending in each category.
Next, break those monthly limits into weekly targets so they're easier to manage day to day. If you plan on four weeks in a month -
- Food budget per week. $24,000 / 4 = $6,000
- Labor budget per week. $22,400 / 4 = $5,600
If your sales are uneven across weeks (for example, some weeks include holidays or events), adjust the weekly limits to match your expected sales.
Then, get more specific -
- For food, think in terms of weekly order targets based on your sales forecast.
- For labor, think in terms of total hours and dollars you can schedule for each week and each role (servers, cooks, hosts, dish, etc.).
Put all of this into a simple budget table with columns for -
- Category (food, labor, rent, etc.)
- Monthly budget
- Weekly budget
- Actual spend (you'll fill this in as you go)
These spending limits are not there to punish you or your managers. They're guardrails. They give you and your team a clear picture of what "on budget" looks like, so you can make smarter decisions about scheduling, ordering, and promotions before the money is spent - not after it's gone.
Create Your Restaurant's Financial Statements
Take Control of Your Restaurant's Finances with Altametrics
Step 5. Track Weekly So You Don't Get Surprised
A budget only works if you keep an eye on it. Checking numbers once a month is usually too late. By then, the money is already spent and you're just explaining what went wrong. Weekly tracking helps you catch problems early, when small changes can still fix them.
Start with a simple weekly routine. Pick the same day each week - many restaurants use Monday or Tuesday. On that day, gather -
- Last week's total sales from your POS
- Food and beverage purchases from invoices
- Total labor cost from your timekeeping or payroll system
- Any other major expenses that hit that week
Then compare these numbers to your weekly budget targets. For example -
- If your weekly food budget is $6,000 and you spent $6,800, you're $800 over.
- If your labor budget is $5,600 and you spent $5,200, you're $400 under.
You don't need a long report. A simple "budget vs. actual" table works -
1. Sales - Target vs. Actual
2. Food cost - Target vs. Actual
3. Labor cost - Target vs. Actual
4. Key overhead items (if any big ones hit that week)
When you see a gap, ask a few basic questions -
- Did sales fall below target? Why?
- Did we over-order food or see more waste?
- Did we schedule more hours than needed?
- Did any one-time costs hit (repairs, equipment, etc.)?
The point is to understand the story behind the numbers while there's still time to react. If you notice food cost creeping up two weeks in a row, you can tighten prep, adjust par levels, or revisit portions before the end of the month. If labor is high on slow days, you can adjust upcoming schedules.
Weekly tracking turns your budget from a document you file away into a tool you actually use. It keeps you in control and reduces those "How are we this busy and still short on cash?" moments.
Step 6. Adjust Quickly When the Numbers Drift
Even with a solid budget, your numbers will drift. Sales will be higher or lower than expected, food prices will change, and schedules won't always match the plan. That's normal. What matters is how quickly you respond when things start moving off track.
When you review your weekly numbers, look for red flags -
- Food cost higher than your target
- Labor percentage creeping up
- Sales coming in below plan for more than one week
- Big, unexpected expenses hitting your cash flow
Instead of panicking, focus on small, practical adjustments.
If food cost is over budget -
- Check waste logs and prep lists - are you making too much of certain items?
- Look at portion sizes and plate builds - are they consistent?
- Review your menu mix - are guests ordering low-margin items more than expected?
- Talk to vendors about price changes or alternative products.
If labor is too high -
- Compare scheduled hours to actual sales - are you overstaffed on slow shifts?
- Adjust future schedules based on patterns you're seeing, not just habits.
- Reduce early clock-ins and late clock-outs.
- Look for ways to cross-train staff so fewer people can handle more tasks during slower periods.
If sales are below target -
- Shift your labor and ordering to match the lower volume.
- Consider simple promotions that don't hurt your margins (upselling, add-ons, combo offers).
- Make sure your hours and staffing match when guests actually come in.
The key is speed. Don't wait until the end of the month to act. If you see a problem this week, make a change next week. Even small moves - cutting a couple of hours on slow days, tightening prep, or adjusting orders - can protect your bottom line.
Your budget isn't there to judge you. It's there to give you an early warning system so you can steer the business back on course before the damage is done.
Step 7. Review Monthly and Plan the Next Month
Weekly check-ins keep you out of trouble. A monthly review helps you step back and see the bigger picture. This is where you ask, "Is our budget still realistic?" and "What do we need to change for next month?"
At the end of each month, gather -
- Total sales for the month
- Total food and beverage cost
- Total labor cost
- Key overhead expenses (rent, utilities, tech, major repairs)
Then compare budget vs. actual for each category. For example
1. Sales - Planned $80,000 / Actual $76,000
2. Food - Budget $24,000 / Actual $25,500
3. Labor - Budget $22,400 / Actual $21,800
Look for patterns, not just one-off issues -
- Are you consistently over on food cost?
- Are certain weeks always heavy on labor?
- Are slow months hurting cash more than expected?
Next, write down 2-3 specific actions for the coming month. Keep it simple and clear, like -
- "Lower food cost by tightening prep on low-volume days."
- "Adjust weekday schedules by cutting 10 labor hours per week."
- "Review menu pricing on three low-margin items."
You don't need to overhaul everything at once. Small, steady improvements are easier to stick with and track.
Finally, update your budget if your reality has changed. If sales are consistently higher or lower than you planned, adjust your targets and spending limits so your budget matches what's really happening in your restaurant.
If you want this process to be easier, consider using tools that pull data together for you instead of chasing reports from multiple systems. Platforms like Altametrics can help connect timekeeping, scheduling, sales, and labor so you can see your numbers in one place, spot problems faster, and keep your budget on track without spending hours in spreadsheets. To learn more about Altametrics, click "Schedule a Demo" below.
Accounting payroll
California Tip Law - Tip Sharing Rules for Restaurants
Accounting payroll
7 Simple Steps to Build a Restaurant Budget
Restaurant management
How to Improve Team Communication Between FOH and BOH
Restaurant management
How to Build a Local Restaurant Marketing Plan
Accounting payroll
How to Build a Restaurant Chart of Accounts
Sales forecasting
How to Build Engaging Customer Loyalty Programs for Restaurants
Restaurant management
Restaurant Operations Management Made Simple
Restaurant management
Simple KPIs for Multiple Restaurant Locations
Accounting payroll
How to Track Time Accurately for Hourly Restaurant Staff
Restaurant management
Cost Control Guide for Restaurants
Restaurant management
The Ultimate Restaurant Kitchen Design Plan
Sales forecasting
How to Set Up a Restaurant Gift Card Program
Employee scheduling
Are You Following US Labor Laws in Your Restaurant?
Software integration,restaurant management,sales forecasting
How to Design High End Restaurant Loyalty Programs
Sales forecasting
The Essential Steps Involved in Sales Forecasting for Restaurants
Inventory management
The 6 Types of Inventory Management Reports for Restaurants
Restaurant management
Essential CCP Food Handling Procedures Every Restaurant Must Follow
Employee scheduling
The Complete Guide to Efficient Employee Scheduling for Restaurants
Sales forecasting
The Different Methods of Sales Forecasting for Restaurants
Inventory management
What are the four types of inventory management for restaurants?
Restaurant management
Daily Cash Control Checklist for Restaurant Owners
Inventory management
Restaurant Financial Statements Explained
Restaurant management
How Technology Helps Restaurants Cut Food Waste
Inventory management
Top Inventory Management Strategies for Restaurants
Inventory management
How to Build a Restaurant Inventory Management Process from Scratch
Food safety
Food Safety Practices for Small Restaurants
Restaurant management
The Complete Guide to Restaurant Waste Management for Owners
Employee scheduling
The Complete Guide to Restaurant Employee Benefits
Accounting payroll
5 Signs Your Hotel Needs to Upgrade Its Payment Processing System
Restaurant management
The Ultimate Daily Checklist for Restaurant Owners
Accounting payroll
Are You Over-complicating Your Restaurants Payroll Process?
Inventory management
Is Your Inventory Management Costing You Profits?
Employee scheduling
How Can Smart Scheduling Transform Your Restaurant's Efficiency?
Restaurant management
What Are the Best Email Marketing Campaign Ideas for Restaurants in 2025?
Restaurant management
How Can You Maintain Brand Consistency Across Multiple Franchise Locations?
Employee scheduling
How Can Restaurants Prevent Scheduling Conflicts and Last-Minute Absences?
Restaurant management
What's the Most Efficient Way to Manage Tasks in a Busy Restaurant?
Employee scheduling
What Should You Look for When Interviewing Restaurant Staff?
Restaurant management
What Is a Dram Shop Law and How Does It Affect Your Restaurant?
Restaurant management
What Features Should Every Restaurant Ordering System Have in 2025?
Accounting payroll
What Are the Most Cost-Effective Ways to Reduce Waste in a Restaurant?
Inventory management
Are Your Menu Items Costing You More Than They're Worth?
Accounting payroll
How Do You Handle Overtime and Tip Credit in Restaurant Payroll?
Accounting payroll
Are You Spending Too Much Time on Payroll? Here's How to Fix it
Inventory management
How Can I Implement an Effective Inventory Management System in my Restaurant?
Sales forecasting
What Do Consumer Reports Say About Your Menu?
Inventory management
What Are the Main Inventory Costing Methods for Restaurants?
Restaurant management
How to Streamline Your Restaurants Supply Chain
Restaurant management
How to Optimize Order Fulfillment in Your Restaurant
Employee scheduling
How to Design an Effective Employee Training Program for Restaurants
Restaurant management
9 Essential Workforce Management Tools Every Restaurant Needs
Accounting payroll
How to Read and Use Your Restaurants Profit and Loss Statement
Accounting payroll
How to Organize Your Restaurant's Financial Records Efficiently
Accounting payroll
Restaurant Billing 101 - Simplify Your Finances and Boost Efficiency
Accounting payroll
The Ultimate Guide to Accounts Payable Automation for Restaurant Owners
Accounting payroll
Benefits of Accounts Receivable Automation for Restaurants
Accounting payroll
The Ultimate Guide to Restaurant Accounting
Accounting payroll
Restaurant Bookkeeping 101 - A Beginner's Guide for Restaurant Owners
Accounting payroll
Invoice Management 101 - A Simple Guide for Restaurant Owners
Restaurant management
What Are Par Levels and Why Every Restaurant Owner Should Care
Sales forecasting
Top 5 Consumer Metrics Every Restaurant Should Track
Inventory management
Which Inventory Method is Best for Your Restaurant?
Accounting payroll
Setting Up an Employee Loan Program in Your Restaurant
Employee scheduling
The Ultimate Employee Onboarding Checklist for Restaurant Owners
Accounting payroll
Top 7 Payroll Mistakes Restaurant Owners Should Avoid
Accounting payroll
How to Calculate Food Cost Variance in Your Restaurant
Sales forecasting
A Guide to Understanding Customer Behavior in Restaurants
Restaurant management
Top 10 California Employment Laws Every Restaurant Owner Must Know
Restaurant management
How to Create Custom Recipe Templates for Your Restaurant Kitchen
Restaurant management
5 Practical Strategies to Cut Food Waste in Your Restaurant
Restaurant management
Understanding Restaurant Food Cost Percentage in 2025 - Strategies for Profitability
Inventory management
The Restaurant Owner's Guide to Streamlining Supply Chain Processes
Restaurant management
How to Efficiently Calculate and Manage Labor Cost in Restaurants
Food safety
General Food Safety Guidelines for Restaurants
Inventory management
A Guide for Restaurant Food Suppliers
Employee scheduling
Key Elements of a Successful Restaurant Scheduling System
Restaurant management
How to Reduce Labor Costs in Your Restaurant Without Sacrificing Service
Inventory management
5 Best Practices for Food Inventory Management to Reduce Waste
Employee scheduling
Understanding California Overtime Laws for Restaurants
Employee scheduling
Top Features to Look for in an Electronic Time Clock for Restaurants
Restaurant management
The Best Employee Rewards Programs for Restaurants
Employee scheduling
The Best Time Keeping Methods for Restaurants
Employee scheduling
How a Restaurant Scheduling App Helps You Avoid Common Scheduling Mistakes
Employee scheduling
Features to Look for in a Clock-In Machine for Restaurants
Employee scheduling
How to Improve Time and Attendance Tracking in Your Restaurant
Employee scheduling
How California Work Week Laws Affect Restaurant Scheduling
Accounting payroll
Best Practices for Calculating Payroll Hours in Restaurants
Employee scheduling
How to Prevent Time Theft in Your Restaurant
Restaurant management
How Technology Can Improve Employee Management in Restaurants
Employee scheduling
California Employment Laws Every Hotel Owner Should Know in 2025
Restaurant management
California's Updated Overtime and Break Laws for Restaurants
Employee scheduling
10 Essential Work Schedules for Running a Smooth Restaurant Operation
Employee scheduling
How to Accurately Calculate Work Hours for Your Restaurant Staff
Employee scheduling
Best Practices for Managing Employee Time and Attendance in Restaurants
Employee scheduling
How to Create an Efficient Restaurant Weekly Schedule That Boosts Productivity
Software integration
Top 5 Benefits of Automating Your Business Workflows
Software integration
The Role of AI in Business Process Automation
Software integration
The Power of API Integrations - Connecting Your Business Tools Seamlessly
Software integration
The Importance of Seamless Integrations in Today's Business Landscape
Software integration
How Workflow Automation Can Save Small Businesses Thousands of Dollars
Software integration
How Any Connector Simplifies API Integrations for Your Business
Software integration
Empowering Your Employees with Automation- A Win-Win Strategy
Software integration
Building a Business Case for Automation in Your Organization
Employee scheduling
Automation in Hospitality - Streamlining Guest Experiences
Restaurant management
5 Ways Restaurants Can Leverage Automation for Operational Success
Sales forecasting
How to Double Your Restaurant's Profit in 30 Days
Inventory management
The Ultimate Guide to Accurate Inventory Counting in Restaurants
Restaurant management
How to Transform Your Restaurant Operations
Restaurant management
How to Effectively Reduce Expenses and Increase Staff Engagement in Your Restaurant
Employee scheduling
How to make sure you will always meet labor goals before you run payroll
Employee scheduling
How to reduce labor costs without retraining your management team.
Restaurant management
3 top reasons your managers should always earn their bonuses
Software integration
How to guarantee your franchise technology rollout will be a success
Employee scheduling
How to reduce labor costs by 3-5% without ever using an excel spreadsheet again
Employee scheduling
How to find and keep your best employees
Software integration
Why your IT team has to provide better mobile apps for you to stay competitive
Accounting payroll
How to streamline your business operations test for maximum efficiency
Software integration
How to make sure your technology projects are on time and on budget
Employee scheduling
Why employee engagement and retention are the keys to improving profitability
Employee scheduling
The easy way to write great employee schedules
Restaurant management
How to manage your restaurant inventory planning to ensure you're never caught short
Inventory management
5 Basic Inventory Management Tips That Can Save You Money
Inventory management
Top 3 Reasons Why You Need Cloud-Based Inventory Management Software
Restaurant management
The Best Food Service Management Companies in the Industry
Software integration
7 Tips for Choosing the Best Restaurant Directory Software
Food safety
What You Need to Know About Food Tech Safety
Employee scheduling
The Top 5 Reasons To Use HR Reporting Software
Food safety
A Guide On What To Know About SQF Food Safety
Inventory management
10 Inventory Management Stock Control Tips For Your Business
Restaurant management
Issues Facing Multi-Chain Restaurants In 2022
Employee scheduling
The Benefits of HR Software Reporting For Professionals
Employee scheduling
5 Top HR Software Solutions To Consider For Your Business
Software integration
5 Reasons Why You Need Restaurant Menu Software
Employee scheduling
Tips for Retaining Hourly Restaurant Employees
Employee scheduling
Hurdles That Keep Restaurant Chains From Becoming The Employer Of Choice
Accounting payroll
Why You Should Start Using Restaurant Payroll Software
Inventory management
How To Make The Most Out Of Your Simple Inventory Management Software
Restaurant management
Food Waste Management- 6 Strategies to Reduce the Impact of Food Waste
Food safety
CDC Food Safety- The Important Perspective
Food safety
What To Know About Taking A Food Safety Class
Inventory management
The Average Restaurant Food Cost Percentage & What You Can Do About It
Inventory management
Inventory Management Best Practices- A Guide to Controlling Your Inventory
Software integration
How to Choose the Right Restaurant Dashboard Software for Your Needs
Inventory management
5 Free Inventory Management Tools for Small Businesses
Food safety
How to Get a Food and Drink Handling License
Employee scheduling
3 Ways You Can Get Your Employees to Love Cloud-based HR and Payroll Software
Inventory management
5 Ways to Improve Your Multi Channel Inventory Management
Inventory management
5 Top Ways to Reduce Your Restaurant Fixed Costs
Inventory management
The Best Inventory Management Software- The Ultimate Guide
Food safety
What To Know About A Food Safety Course Online
Employee scheduling
The Best Free Employee Scheduling Apps to Help Your Business Run Smoothly
Food safety
How To Identify PHF Food Safety Anywhere You Are
Restaurant management
5 Tips for Choosing the Best Kitchen Equipment Supplier
Software integration
Mobile Device Inventory Management- A Guide to Help You Do It Right
Food safety
Food Safety Zone- A Guide to Safely Eating Out
Restaurant management
3 Tips to Find the Best Restaurant Paper Suppliers
Inventory management
Top Free Inventory Management Software for Small Businesses
Food safety
7 Ways To Become A Food Safety Auditor
Employee scheduling
5 Reasons You Should Be Using Free HR Software
Inventory management
4 Types of Inventory Management Systems and How They Affect Your Business
Employee scheduling
HR Recruitment Software- Why Restaurant Chains Fail To Become Preferred Choice
Restaurant management
Food Waste Management Solutions- The Ultimate Guide to Eliminating Food Waste
Employee scheduling
HR Software Solutions- Tips For Retaining Hourly Restaurant Employees
Accounting payroll
What You Need to Know About Restaurant Payroll Laws
Employee scheduling
HR Software List- The Best and the Worst
Restaurant management
How Restaurant Food Suppliers Are Important To A Business
Restaurant management
What Are The Best Restaurant Paper Goods Suppliers?
Inventory management
The Ultimate Guide to Inventory Management Techniques
Food safety
Food Safety Tips- How To Stay Safe at Home
Restaurant management
5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Hiring a Food Service Management Company
Restaurant management
Ordering Management System- Issues Faced by Multi-Chain Restaurants In 2022
Food safety
Three Steps to Creating a Food Safety Plan
Employee scheduling
The Best Employee Time Clock Machines for Your Business
Employee scheduling
The Top 5 Reasons to Switch to Cloud Based HR Software
Employee scheduling
Our Top 5 Best Employee Scheduling Apps For Small Businesses
Food safety
Food Safety News- A Checklist for Safe Foods
Restaurant management
8 Tips for Successful Financial Management In Food Service
Software integration
5 Tips for Improving Your Data Integration Software
Food safety
5 Benefits of Food Safety That You Need to Know
Restaurant management
America's Fastest Growing Restaurant Chains That You Probably Haven't Heard Of
Employee scheduling
The Best Employee Shift Planning Manager | Employee Scheduling & Shift Planning
Employee scheduling
Free Employee Time Clock to Give Your Business a Competitive Edge
Restaurant management
The Best Restaurant Produce Suppliers in America
Employee scheduling
HR Timesheet Software- What To Look For and How It Works
Restaurant management
Find the Best Restaurant Chemical Suppliers
Employee scheduling
Tracking Time Effectively- The Best HR Time Tracking Software
Accounting payroll
5 Best Business Accounting Software Reviews
Employee scheduling
5 Free Employee Scheduling Apps You Need to Try
Restaurant management
How to Find the Best Restaurant Coffee Suppliers
Frequently Asked Questions
What numbers do I need to start a restaurant budget?
You'll need -
- Past sales from your POS
- Food and beverage invoices
- Payroll or timekeeping reports
- Rent, utilities, insurance, software, and other regular bills
Start with what you have. You can improve the detail over time.
- Past sales from your POS
- Food and beverage invoices
- Payroll or timekeeping reports
- Rent, utilities, insurance, software, and other regular bills
Start with what you have. You can improve the detail over time.
What percentage should food cost be in my budget?
Many restaurants aim for food cost around 28-35% of sales, but the right number depends on your concept and menu. Use your current percentage as the starting point, then set a realistic improvement goal if needed.
How often should I review my restaurant budget?
Check your key numbers every week and do a deeper review once a month. Weekly checks help you catch issues early - monthly reviews help you see patterns and decide what to change next.
What percentage should labor be in my budget?
Labor targets vary, but many full-service restaurants try to stay in a certain range (often in the 25-35% area). Look at your real numbers first, then decide what you want to work toward, instead of forcing a number that doesn't fit your concept.
