Enter one week or one month. Works in any currency.
What is prime cost?
Prime cost is your food and drink cost plus your staff cost. Together they are the two largest costs in almost every restaurant, and the two you can change week by week.
What is a good prime cost?
| Prime cost | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Below 55% | Strong, or a cost is missing |
| 55 to 65% | The usual healthy range |
| 65 to 70% | Profit under pressure |
| Above 70% | Little or no profit left |
Rough guides only. Fine dining and full-service often run higher on staff; quick service lower.
Don't work it out by hand every month
Peasily shows food cost and staff cost for every outlet every day, in the P & L Account, so prime cost never waits for month end.
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What should be included in prime cost?
Food and drink actually used, plus every staff cost: wages, salaries, overtime, benefits, staff meals and any housing you provide.
What is a good prime cost percentage?
Most restaurants aim for about 55 to 65% of sales. Above 65%, rent and other costs leave little room for profit.
How often should I check prime cost?
Every week at least. Both food and staff costs can be fixed within days once you see them.
See your own numbers in Peasily
We'll walk you through it with your real menu and outlets.