Posted by u/casual_dining_owner
Prime cost at 67%, how do I get it under 60?
Answered by Ask a Shop Owner ·
Food + labor = 67% of sales. Reading everywhere it should be under 60. Where do I even start?
u/askashopowner Owner-operator advisor
Top answer
Attack food first. Weekly inventory (not monthly), item-level food cost sheet for every menu item, and a red/yellow/green report each week showing which items drifted. Most restaurants find 3 to 5 points of food cost hiding in portioning and over-ordering.
Then labor. Schedule to forecast, not to what feels safe. Cut 15 minutes off open prep and close cleanup on slow days. Cross-train so a dishwasher can prep and a line cook can expo. Flexibility beats headcount.
Also raise prices on the top 5 items by 4% to 6% this month. If the item is a favorite, guests do not notice. Do not raise the sides; those are perception drivers.
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