Menu Pricing
Seven Menu Engineering Mistakes That Cost Restaurants MoneyIdentify underpriced bestsellers, low-margin distractions and opportunities to improve your menu.
The Dumb Bambi Journal
Practical guides for restaurant, pub, café and bar operators — written by people who've run kitchens and bars.
Featured guide · Food Costs
How to Calculate Food Cost Percentage ProperlyUnderstand exactly how much each dish costs and whether your current pricing protects your margin.
Menu Pricing
Seven Menu Engineering Mistakes That Cost Restaurants MoneyIdentify underpriced bestsellers, low-margin distractions and opportunities to improve your menu.
Gross Profit
Contribution Margin: The Number Most Operators IgnoreLearn which dishes genuinely contribute towards overheads and profit.
Staffing & Wages
How Much Should a Restaurant Spend on Wages?Compare labour costs against turnover and identify when staffing is damaging profitability.
VAT & Tax
VAT for Hospitality Businesses: A Straightforward GuideA plain-English overview of VAT calculations, inclusive pricing and common mistakes.
Restaurant Operations
Restaurant Break-Even Points Explained SimplyLearn how much revenue your venue needs to generate before it begins making a profit.
Staffing & Wages
The Hidden Cost of Staff Turnover in HospitalityExplore how recruitment, training and lost productivity affect your real labour costs.
Menu Pricing
How to Price a Restaurant Menu Without GuessingTurn ingredient costs, VAT and target margins into commercially sensible menu prices.
Gross Profit
What Is a Good Gross Profit Margin for a Restaurant?A practical explanation of hospitality GP targets and the factors that affect them.
Food Costs
How to Calculate Food Cost Percentage ProperlyUnderstand exactly how much each dish costs and whether your current pricing protects your margin.
Use Dumb Bambi's free hospitality calculators to check your food costs, menu prices, gross profit, wages and break-even point in seconds.
Food Cost Calculator
Recipe cost, food cost % and profit per dish.
Open calculatorGross Profit Calculator
GP, GP % and markup in one place.
Open calculatorMenu Price Calculator
Price to a target GP, VAT included.
Open calculatorWage Percentage Guide
Where your labour cost should land.
Open calculatorBreak-Even Calculator
The daily revenue you need to clear.
Open calculatorVAT Calculator
Add or remove UK VAT instantly.
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