Small business playbooks for a tighter kitchen
Practical guides on food cost, pricing, invoices, and running a profitable independent restaurant.
How to calculate food cost percentage (with the simple formula)
The one number that tells you whether a dish makes money. Here is the formula, a worked example, and the target most restaurants aim for.
How to price a menu item so it actually makes money
Cost-plus, target-margin, and value-based pricing explained in plain English, plus how to raise a price without losing regulars.
How to catch vendor price creep before it eats your margin
Small hikes hide in plain sight. Here is how to spot them the day they land instead of at month end.
5 numbers every restaurant owner should check every week
A five-minute Monday habit that catches margin leaks before they add up. The metrics that matter, and how to read them.
A closing checklist that makes cash-out painless
The end-of-night routine that gets your team out the door and the drawer square, every single shift.
7 practical ways to reduce food waste in a small restaurant
Waste is margin in the trash. These low-effort changes tighten par levels, prep, and ordering without a big system.