What is a KPI?
A KPI (key performance indicator) is a measurable number that shows whether your business is hitting a goal. In restaurants, KPIs track areas like sales, labor, food cost, and service so you can spot issues early and improve performance consistently.
Restaurant KPI Basics Every Owner Should Track
Overview
Restaurant KPIs (key performance indicators) are the few numbers that tell you if your operation is healthy - not just whether you were busy. A KPI is different from data because it has a job - it should help you make a decision, spot a problem early, or measure improvement after you change something. If a metric doesn't change what you do, it's probably noise.
Think of KPIs as your restaurant's dashboard. You don't need every possible statistic on the screen - you need the ones that prevent expensive surprises. For example, sales can look fine while profits shrink if your prime cost (labor + food cost) is creeping up. Reviews can stay steady while repeat visits drop if speed of service is slipping during peak hours. KPIs give you early warning signals so you can correct small issues before they become big ones.
The reason KPIs matter so much in restaurants is that operations are a constant trade-off between profit, guest experience, and team execution. Tracking the right KPIs helps you balance those trade-offs with clarity. Instead of saying, "Labor feels high," you can see labor % and sales per labor hour by daypart. Instead of guessing why food cost is up, you can look at inventory variance, waste, and portioning indicators.
How to Build a KPI System That Works
The best KPI system is the one you'll actually use when the restaurant gets busy. Start by keeping it small and focused - most owners need 10-15 core KPIs, not 50. If you track too many, you'll stop reviewing them, your managers will ignore them, and the numbers won't drive action. The goal is a simple rhythm you can repeat every week.
First, choose KPIs that match the outcomes you care about most - profitability, service quality, and operational consistency. A practical way to do this is to pick a few KPIs in each category (sales, labor, food cost, guest experience, cash/profit). Then write down a one-sentence definition for each KPI so everyone measures it the same way. For example, "Labor % = total labor dollars / total sales" and "Inventory variance = expected inventory usage vs. actual counts." This prevents the most common problem in KPI tracking - people arguing over what the number really means.
Next, set a tracking cadence that fits how restaurants run -
1. Daily KPIs - quick checks that protect the shift (sales vs. forecast, labor hours, voids/comps, ticket times).
2. Weekly KPIs - trend and performance reviews (labor %, SPLH, food cost %, inventory variance, review trends).
3. Monthly KPIs - bigger picture decisions (menu mix, pricing, vendor performance, controllable expenses, break-even progress).
Finally, build two dashboards - an Owner Dashboard and a Manager Shift Dashboard. The owner version is higher level and trend-focused - perfect for a weekly 30-minute review. The manager version is simpler, more immediate, and designed for coaching during the week. To make the system stick, assign an owner to each KPI (who checks it and takes action), and add a simple rule - when a KPI is off, you don't just "watch it" - you write down one corrective action and a deadline. That's how KPIs become a tool for improvement instead of a report you forget.
Sales and Menu KPIs to Track First
Sales KPIs are where most owners start, but the trick is tracking sales quality, not just total revenue. Total sales tell you what happened. The right sales and menu KPIs tell you why it happened - and what to change next week to improve results without relying on constant discounts.
Start with sales by daypart and channel. A restaurant can have strong weekly sales but still struggle because lunch is slow, weekends are overstaffed, or delivery commissions are eating margin. Track sales split by breakfast/lunch/dinner (or your peak windows) and by dine-in, takeout, delivery, catering, and online ordering. This helps you staff accurately and push the right offers to the right channel.
Next, watch average check and items per ticket. These are two of the fastest levers you can pull without raising prices. If average check drops, you may have a mix problem (too many low-margin items), a training problem (weak upselling), or a menu design problem (attachments aren't obvious). Pair this with category mix - how much of your sales come from high-margin categories versus low-margin ones. Even small shifts in mix can meaningfully change profit.
You should also track top sellers and low movers. Top sellers tell you what to protect (prep levels, quality standards, speed). Low movers quietly tie up inventory, increase waste risk, and complicate execution. Low movers aren't always "bad," but they should earn their spot by margin, brand value, or strategic purpose.
Finally, include discount and comp rate. Discounts can create short-term traffic while masking long-term problems. Tracking discount/comp dollars as a percentage of sales helps you spot leakage and tighten controls. When these KPIs are reviewed weekly, they guide smarter actions - adjust menu layout, run targeted promotions, improve server scripts, tweak portions, or re-train on add-ons. In other words, sales KPIs don't just report revenue - they help you improve how you earn it.
Labor and Scheduling KPIs
Labor is usually your biggest controllable cost - and the easiest place to make changes that hurt service if you're not careful. These KPIs help you control labor while still protecting speed, quality, and team morale.
1) Track labor percent - Labor % (total labor dollars / total sales) is your baseline. To make it useful, keep the definition consistent (wages only vs. wages + taxes/benefits) and review it by daypart and, if possible, by role group (FOH, BOH, management). A weekly average can hide the real issue - like lunch being overstaffed while dinner is short-handed.
2) Add a productivity KPI - Use Sales Per Labor Hour (SPLH) (sales / total labor hours) to see if labor is actually producing revenue. Labor % can "look better" on a busy week even if staffing was inefficient. If SPLH drops, look for coverage timing problems, slow line/production bottlenecks, or too many trainees scheduled at once.
3) Watch overtime - Track overtime hours and overtime cost weekly. Recurring overtime usually points to a scheduling gap (not enough coverage in a key role), weak shift handoffs, poor cut procedures, or unreliable availability that forces last-minute extensions.
4) Measure schedule accuracy - Compare forecast vs. actual sales and forecast vs. actual labor hours. If forecasts are consistently off, you'll either overspend or burn out your team by constantly playing catch-up. Even a simple forecast based on last year's sales by day of week is better than guessing.
5) Monitor timekeeping exceptions - Track missed punches, early clock-ins, late clock-outs, long breaks, and frequent manual edits. These exceptions often reveal unclear rules, weak manager habits, or process issues - and fixing them improves payroll accuracy and accountability.
When you review these KPIs weekly, labor stops being a guessing game. You'll know exactly whether the fix is better scheduling templates, smarter cuts, faster training, tighter controls, or a process improvement that reduces labor pressure without sacrificing service.
Food Cost and Inventory KPIs
Food cost problems rarely show up all at once - they leak margin a little at a time through waste, portioning, bad ordering, and pricing changes. These KPIs help you catch the leak early and fix the cause instead of just "hoping next week is better."
1) Track food cost percent - Food cost % (food/paper cost / food sales) is a core KPI, but it becomes powerful when you review it alongside menu mix and purchasing. If food cost % jumps, it could be higher vendor prices, more discounts, a shift in what guests are buying, or operational waste. The KPI tells you where to look next rather than just confirming "something is wrong."
2) Use inventory variance - Inventory variance is the gap between what you should have used (based on sales and recipes) and what your counts show you actually used. High variance usually points to counting mistakes, portioning drift, waste, theft, unrecorded comps, or transfer issues. Even if you don't have perfect recipe costing, variance trends are extremely helpful for spotting problems before they hit your P&L.
3) Measure waste - Track waste/spoilage, comps, and voids - especially for high-cost items. The key is consistency - log waste by item and reason (expired, overcooked, remake, prep error). You'll quickly see patterns tied to specific shifts, stations, or training gaps.
4) Watch portioning and recipe - Portioning drift is one of the most common margin killers. Look for indicators like "high-cost item usage vs. sales" (example - chicken pounds used vs. chicken dishes sold). If usage climbs but sales don't, you likely have over-portioning, trimming issues, or prep waste.
5) Track purchasing performance and vendor - Monitor vendor price changes, order accuracy, and fill rate (how often you get what you ordered). Pricing changes can quietly raise food cost even when operations are solid. Ordering and receiving KPIs help you catch errors, substitutions, and short shipments that create emergency buys and inconsistency.
When these KPIs are reviewed weekly, you move from "food cost is high" to specific actions - tighten receiving, retrain portions, adjust prep pars, fix transfers, update recipes, or re-price items based on real costs.
Transform Your Restaurant Operations Now!
Effortless Inventory Tracking with Altametrics!
Guest Experience and Service KPIs
Guest experience can feel subjective until you start tracking a few consistent KPIs. When you do, you can spot service problems early, coach your team with clarity, and improve repeat visits without guessing.
1) Track speed of service - Speed isn't just "fast or slow" - it's whether you're hitting expectations during peak windows. Track ticket times (or order-to-serve time) by daypart and channel. Averages can hide the truth, so pay attention to peak periods and spikes. If ticket times jump at the same time every day, you probably have a staffing or bottleneck issue (expo, grill, fryer, drinks, packaging) rather than a general "team problem."
2) Measure order accuracy - Accuracy issues are expensive because they create rework, comps, negative reviews, and lost repeat customers. Track remake count, refund/void reasons, and (if applicable) delivery issues like missing items and chargebacks. More importantly, categorize the cause - wrong modifier, missing item, over/undercooked, packaging error, or miscommunication between FOH and BOH. This turns "we need to be more careful" into a fixable process.
3) Treat reviews and feedback - Star rating is helpful, but trends are better. Track the themes that show up most often (speed, friendliness, cleanliness, accuracy, value). Even a simple weekly tally of "top 3 complaints" gives you a clear coaching agenda and helps you confirm whether changes are working.
4) Track complaints - Create a basic complaint log (in-person and online) and tag each issue- food quality, service, wait time, cleanliness, pricing, delivery. When one category rises, you can focus your training and operations where it counts instead of trying to "fix everything."
5) Add one repeat-visit signal - Not every restaurant has loyalty data, but you can still track a repeat signal- loyalty visits, repeat online orders, email/offer redemptions, or even a simple "regular count" during peak hours. Repeat behavior is the real proof that guest experience is improving.
These KPIs keep guest experience from being vague. They help you identify exactly what's breaking - speed, accuracy, cleanliness, or hospitality - and fix it with targeted actions your team can execute.
Profitability and Cash KPIs
You can be "busy" and still be struggling if profitability and cash controls aren't tight. These KPIs help you understand what you're actually keeping, what's putting pressure on cash, and what needs attention before it becomes a bigger problem.
1) Track prime cost - Prime cost is labor + food cost (usually shown as a % of sales). It's one of the fastest ways to see whether operational decisions are protecting margin. If prime cost is rising, don't assume it's "just prices." Use it as a trigger to review labor productivity, menu mix, waste, and overtime patterns.
2) Watch contribution margin - Contribution margin looks at what's left after variable costs (often COGS + variable labor) and helps you understand how profitable different dayparts, channels, or menu categories are. This is especially important if delivery is a big part of your business, since fees and refunds can silently reduce what you keep.
3) Know your break-even sales target - Break-even sales tells you what you must sell to cover fixed costs (rent, insurance, salaried labor, loan payments, etc.). Once you know your break-even number, you can translate it into daily and weekly targets and plan staffing, promos, and hours with more confidence.
4) Track cash signals - At minimum, monitor cash on hand, upcoming bills, and weekly cash movement. Profit on paper doesn't always mean cash in the bank - especially with payroll timing, vendor terms, and repairs. A simple weekly cash check keeps you proactive.
5) Review budget vs. actual variance - Track key controllables like supplies, repairs and maintenance, utilities, and credit card fees. The goal isn't perfect forecasting - it's spotting when a category drifts and asking "why" before it becomes the new normal.
Make KPI Tracking Automatic with Altametrics
If you're ready to spend less time pulling reports and more time improving operations, Altametrics can help you centralize labor, sales, and operational data into actionable insights - so you can track KPIs consistently, spot issues faster, and drive better decisions across locations. Learn more about Altametrics by clicking "Book a Demo" below.
Restaurant management
Restaurant KPI Basics Every Owner Should Track
Restaurant management
The Basics of Back of the House Management for Restaurants
Restaurant management,sales forecasting,pos systems
Loyalty Program Ideas For Restaurants
Inventory management
What Are Typical Restaurant Fixed Costs?
Restaurant management
How to Calculate Your Restaurant Break-Even Point
Employee scheduling
The Hidden Cost of Labor Inaccuracy And Why It Explodes in Q1
Accounting payroll
Tip Management Basics for Restaurant Owners
Restaurant management
How to Set Up Par Levels in a Restaurant
Restaurant management
How To Increase Restaurant Sales
Employee scheduling
How to Schedule Employees Effectively for Your Restaurant
Restaurant management
Which California Licenses and Permits Are Required for Restaurants?
Restaurant management
How QR Codes Transform Restaurant Guest Experience
Restaurant management
Restaurant Management Tools Every Owner Needs
Employee scheduling
How to Spot and Prevent Time Theft in Your Restaurant
Restaurant management
How to Increase Restaurant Foot Traffic
Restaurant management
How to Increase Employee Productivity in Your Restaurant
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
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
How many KPIs should a restaurant owner track?
Most owners should track 10-15 core KPIs. Enough to cover sales, labor, food cost, guest experience, and profitability - without creating "report overload."
What's the difference between a KPI and a metric?
A KPI should drive a decision or action. A metric can be interesting, but if it doesn't change what you do, it's probably not a KPI.
How do I set KPI targets?
Start with your own last 4-8 weeks as a baseline, then improve gradually. Targets should match your concept, channel mix, staffing model, and seasonality.
What's the easiest way to make KPI tracking consistent?
Standardize definitions, automate reporting where possible, and schedule a weekly 30-minute KPI review. Consistency beats complexity every time.
