Make budgeting easier - 5 tips to restaurateurs

Budgeting sounds boring. But in a well-run restaurant, the budget is not just an Excel sheet – it is an enabler: new plates, sharper wine lists, more training hours, the renovation that lifts the entire impression. When the numbers are under control, everything else becomes more fun, and you can spend time on what really matters – the guest experience!

Make the budget a process, not a marathon

In a large operation with many restaurants, budgeting is spread over the summer season, served in small, bite-sized portions instead of “one loooong day in September.” Unit managers take the first draft (ownership is key!) before it is discussed with group management. Compare with history, add external data (season, weather, traffic flow, events) and fine-tune until the budget feels both reasonable and motivating. A smaller operation starts its work when the summer terrace guests start to thin out, but ownership (head chef, restaurant manager, etc.) and management discussions are just as important before the budget is finalized with owners and presented to the staff.

Make numbers understandable for everyone

Numbers can be scary. Translate them into everyday terms everyone can relate to:

Sales = number of glasses, dishes or menus.

Labor cost = hours on a whiteboard: “We have X hours in the budget this week – where can we cut without affecting operations?”

Food cost = kitchen competition to get a dish onto the next menu, including calculations.

Margin = sales price – purchase price, which beer makes us the most money in pure currency?

And make it fun. Use small visual tricks (hang up ten wine glasses for the evening’s target), gamify the work, and make it tangible for the entire team.

Follow up often, but keep it light

Follow-up happens in everyday operations. Fixed rent is hard to influence – so focus on what you can control: staffing, purchasing, waste, mix, and pricing. Plan consumable inventories throughout the year (glasses, plates, pots), and larger operations can sync between units where possible (lend equipment/people when seasons shift).

Work with hourly lenses – not just monthly reports

Many businesses have extreme opening hours. Map when the revenue actually comes in (hourly) and staff accordingly. Compare “like for like” (week to week, weather to weather, traffic to traffic). This makes scheduling, purchasing, and menu planning sharper – and the work environment more sustainable.

Technology that makes it easy to do the right thing

A modern restaurant system with POS, scheduling, booking, forecasting, budgeting tools, and dashboards in one ecosystem does the heavy lifting: sales peaks, average check, sales per labor hour, labor %, margins, top lists, etc. When data flows automatically, operations managers can spend time where it adds the most value: on guests, team, and learning.

From a Swedish sports bar (smaller chain) come a few simple lessons that scale to both small and large operations:

Set prices based on calculations – not gut feeling. Dare to adjust often when ingredient prices move.

Plan staffing by the hour, not by “what feels right.” Set the weekly hour goal together with the team and schedule based on the forecast for the week.

Get the budget into the room. A simple board in the kitchen/expedition area beats a forgotten PDF any day.

Little checklist – start this week

Connect the data flow. Make sure POS, scheduling, booking, forecasting, and budgeting talk to each other so you can see sales and costs per hour.

Visualize the goals. Put tonight’s glass/dish target where the team can see it.

Staff by the hour. Compare to history, weather, and local events.

Plan purchases annually. Distribute the “investment kronor” per month and follow up weekly.

Learn from the results. Deviation = learning opportunity, not blame. Celebrate when you hit the targets.

When the budget becomes part of everyday life instead of stress, two things happen: control increases – and so does creativity. This is how a restaurant achieves both peace of mind and profitability.