The numbers behind the tools
Every verdict these tools give comes from a rule you can read. These are the rules, in plain English, with the maths shown.
Food cost percentage, explained in five minutes
What the number means, what a healthy range looks like, and why one point is worth more than you think.
ReadPrime cost: the one number that says if you survive
Food plus labour as a share of sales. Under 60% and you have room. Over 65% and the rent is eating you.
ReadMenu engineering: stars, plowhorses, puzzles and dogs
Sort every item by how much it makes you and how often it sells. Then do the one thing each box asks for.
ReadHow many housekeepers does tonight actually need?
Minutes per room, checkouts versus stayovers, and the one allowance most managers forget.
ReadHow much does a plate actually cost to make?
Every ingredient at what you pay per unit, times what goes on the plate, divided by plates in the batch. Then the price that protects your margin.
ReadCocktail pour cost calculator: what should a drink sell for?
Bottle cost divided by pours, plus everything else in the glass, against the price. Pour cost percentage decides.
ReadRestaurant prime cost calculator: are you under 60%?
Food plus labour, as a share of sales, for one period. The one number that says whether there is room for rent and profit.
ReadHow to quote catering per head without losing money
Food, staff hours, rentals and travel, then a target margin. The quote per head comes out of the total, not the other way round.
ReadTip pool calculator: split tips by hours and role
Hours times role points gives each person a weight. The pool is shared by weight. Everyone can check the maths.
ReadKeg cost per pint: how much profit is in one keg?
Usable ounces after foam and line cleaning, divided into pours, gives the real cost of a pint and the profit in the keg.
ReadDelivery app breakeven: what markup covers the 30% commission?
The commission comes off the top, then packaging. The markup that makes an app order earn what an in-house order earns.
ReadWhat is it costing you to not cost your menu?
Food cost drift, hours spent costing by hand, and the items nobody has costed. A conservative yearly number to argue with.
ReadWedding planner margin calculator: is this event worth your weekend?
Client budget against vendor costs, your hours at your rate and overhead. Margin in dollars and percent, and per guest.
ReadOpen bar buy list: how much alcohol for a wedding?
Two drinks the first hour, one an hour after, a buffer, then split by beer, wine and spirits into bottles.
ReadOwner-operator cost per km calculator
Fuel per km, maintenance per km, and every fixed cost spread over the km you really run. Any rate under it loses money.
ReadShould I take this load? TAKE / NEGOTIATE / PASS
Rate plus surcharge against all the km including deadhead at your cost per km. A verdict and the counter to ask for.
ReadHow much does a scoop of ice cream cost to serve?
Tub or mix cost by the litre, overrun, scoop size, then the cone or cup, topping and napkin. Cost per serving and the price at your target.
ReadRevPAR calculator: what is my hotel really earning per room?
Occupancy flatters you and ADR flatters you. RevPAR is the one that tells the truth.
ReadOTA commission calculator: how much does Booking.com really take?
The commission is only the start. What you keep from an OTA booking against a direct one, and what that gap is worth a year.
ReadRoom block pricing: how much should a hotel discount a wedding block?
A block is a promise of rooms you might never sell. Price the discount against attrition, not against the couple's smile.
ReadHow much does hotel breakfast really cost per guest?
Eggs, coffee and the pastry basket look cheap until you add the bin at half past ten and the person refilling it.
ReadAirbnb break-even calculator: how many nights do I need to book?
Before profit there is a number of nights that just pays the mortgage, the cleaner and the platform. Find it before you buy the second listing.
ReadAirbnb amenity cost calculator: what do toiletries and coffee cost per stay?
Shampoo, soap, pods and the welcome snack are small numbers that happen every single stay.
ReadHow to quote a wedding package without working for free
The quote has to carry every cost you pay, every hour you spend, and a margin on top. Most planners forget the middle one.
ReadBuffet vs plated: which is actually cheaper for a wedding?
Buffets need more food and fewer servers. Plated needs less food and more servers. Which wins depends on the guest count.
ReadHow many servers do you need for a wedding of 150?
Guests divided by a ratio, rounded up, plus a bartender per 75 and a captain per 8 servers. Then check what you bill covers it.
ReadHow much should a planner mark up rentals?
The markup pays for the hours you spend sourcing, changing and counting chairs. If it does not cover them, you are doing it for free.
ReadHow to price a wedding photography package
Eight hours on the day is the small part. The desk hours, the second shooter and the camera that wears out are the price.
ReadShould a DJ take this gig? TAKE / NEGOTIATE / PASS
Five hours on the decks is ten hours door to door. Price the ten, then decide.
ReadHow much does a latte cost to make?
Beans are the small part. Milk, the cup and the drinks poured out while dialling in are the rest.
ReadHow much milk is your café pouring down the sink?
Litres bought minus litres that reached a cup. The gap is real money every week.
ReadHow to price a custom cake so decorating hours get paid
Ingredients are a tenth of the price. The hours with the piping bag are the rest, and most bakers give them away.
ReadIs this festival worth it for a food truck? TAKE / NEGOTIATE / PASS
Pitch fee, the organiser's cut, and covers you can honestly expect. The answer is a number, not a feeling.
ReadDoes happy hour actually make money?
A discount pays only if it brings in enough extra drinks to cover the margin you gave away. Most do not.
ReadHow to set bar par levels and stop over-ordering
Par is the stock you need to reach the next delivery with a little in hand. Anything above it is cash on a shelf.
ReadHow to set a bottle service minimum that beats a normal night
A bottle table blocks seats all night. The minimum has to beat what those seats would have earned anyway.
ReadBar menu engineering: which drinks are stars, plowhorses, puzzles and dogs?
Every drink is either popular or not, and profitable or not. The four boxes tell you what to do with each one.
ReadFuel surcharge calculator: is the broker covering your diesel?
The linehaul rate was built on a diesel price. When diesel is higher, the surcharge is supposed to make up the difference. Check that it does.
ReadIFTA calculator: how much will I owe this quarter?
IFTA charges you tax where you drove, credits you tax where you bought. The bill is the difference. Estimate it before it lands.
Read