This article was written by our expert who is surveying the industry and constantly updating the business plan for a restaurant.
Running a successful restaurant requires precise daily operational planning based on quantifiable metrics and industry benchmarks.
Understanding your daily requirements helps prevent waste, optimize staffing, maintain quality standards, and ensure profitability while serving customers efficiently.
If you want to dig deeper and learn more, you can download our business plan for a restaurant. Also, before launching, get all the profit, revenue, and cost breakdowns you need for complete clarity with our restaurant financial forecast.
Daily restaurant operations require careful planning across customer volume, staffing, inventory, and compliance to ensure profitability and efficiency.
Success depends on accurately forecasting demand, managing resources, and maintaining operational standards while controlling costs.
| Operational Area | Daily Requirements | Key Metrics & Benchmarks |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Volume | 100-400 customers depending on restaurant type | Fast-casual: 200-300, Fine dining: 70-160, Quick-service: 250-400 |
| Average Spend | $8-150+ per customer by service type | Breakfast: $10-15, Lunch: $15-25, Dinner: $25-150+ |
| Staff Requirements | 6-15 staff members per shift | 1 manager, 2-6 servers, 2-6 kitchen staff, 1-3 support staff |
| Food Supplies | 60% perishables, 40% non-perishables | Daily orders for fresh items, weekly for dry goods |
| Food Waste | 4-10% of food purchased daily | 8-30 kg waste per day for 300 customers served |
| Utilities | 3,000-10,000L water, 5-20m³ gas, 150-500 kWh electricity | Varies by size, equipment, and menu complexity |
| Cash Flow | $1,000-3,500+ daily operating expenses | Payroll: $300-1,500, Ingredients: $600-2,000 |
How many customers should you expect to serve each day?
Most restaurants serve between 100 and 400 customers daily, with significant variation based on restaurant type and location.
Fast-casual establishments typically handle 200-300 customers per day, while fine dining restaurants serve fewer customers (70-160 daily) due to longer service times and higher check averages. Quick-service restaurants process the highest volume, serving 250-400 customers daily through faster turnover rates.
Traffic patterns show lunch and dinner as peak periods, with weekends and holidays potentially tripling normal daily volumes. Location factors like foot traffic, competition density, and demographics directly impact these numbers.
New restaurant owners should start conservative with projections and scale up based on actual demand patterns observed during the first few months of operation.
What is the average spend per customer across different meal periods?
Customer spending varies significantly by restaurant type and meal period, ranging from $8 for quick-service to $150+ for fine dining experiences.
| Restaurant Type | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Overall Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-Service | $8-10 | $10-12 | $10-14 | $8-12 |
| Fast-Casual | $12-15 | $15-20 | $20-30 | $15-25 |
| Casual Dining | $15-18 | $18-25 | $25-40 | $15-30 |
| Fine Dining | $25-35 | $40-60 | $80-150+ | $50-150+ |
| Weekend Premium | +10-15% | +15-20% | +20-30% | +15-25% |
| Holiday Premium | +20-25% | +25-30% | +30-50% | +25-40% |
| Group Orders | +15-20% | +20-25% | +25-35% | +20-30% |
Dinner consistently generates the highest per-customer revenue across all restaurant categories, while breakfast typically shows the lowest spend per visit.
What percentage of daily sales comes from food versus beverages?
Food typically accounts for 75-80% of daily restaurant sales, with beverages representing the remaining 20-25% of revenue.
This ratio shifts significantly in establishments serving alcohol, where beverage sales can reach 30-35% of total revenue. Fine dining and casual dining restaurants with full bars see higher beverage percentages due to wine pairings, cocktails, and premium drink offerings.
Non-alcoholic beverages (soft drinks, coffee, juices) generally contribute 8-12% of total sales, while alcoholic beverages can add another 15-25% in licensed establishments. Coffee shops and cafes show different patterns, with beverages often representing 60-70% of sales.
You'll find detailed market insights in our restaurant business plan, updated every quarter.
How many staff members do you need per shift and what are their roles?
Restaurant staffing requirements depend on size, service style, and expected customer volume, typically requiring 6-15 staff members per shift.
- Management (1 person per shift): Oversees operations, handles cash management, manages reservations, resolves customer issues, and coordinates between kitchen and front-of-house staff
- Servers (2-6 people): Take orders, serve food and beverages, process payments, maintain table cleanliness, and ensure customer satisfaction throughout the dining experience
- Kitchen Staff (2-6 people): Includes head chef, line cooks, and prep cooks responsible for food preparation, cooking, plating, inventory management, and maintaining kitchen sanitation standards
- Bartender (1-2 people): Prepares alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, manages bar inventory, serves bar customers, and supports server drink orders
- Support Staff (1-3 people): Bussers clear and clean tables, dishwashers handle cleaning duties, hosts manage seating and reservations, and maintenance staff ensure facility cleanliness
Peak hours require additional staff, with many restaurants increasing their team by 30-50% during lunch and dinner rushes to maintain service quality and minimize wait times.
What daily ingredient quantities do you need for popular menu items?
Daily ingredient requirements scale directly with projected customer volume and menu composition, requiring precise forecasting to minimize waste while ensuring availability.
A burger restaurant serving 300 customers daily needs approximately 300 burger buns, 60 kg of ground beef, 30 kg of cheese, 15 kg of lettuce, and 20 kg of potatoes for fries. These quantities adjust based on portion sizes, menu variety, and seasonal demand fluctuations.
Fine dining establishments use smaller quantities of higher-quality ingredients with greater variety, while fast-casual restaurants focus on bulk purchasing of core ingredients. Prep ratios typically follow the 80/20 rule, where 80% of sales come from 20% of menu items.
Track daily usage patterns for 2-3 weeks to establish accurate baseline requirements, then adjust for seasonality, promotions, and special events that can increase demand by 50-200%.
How much perishable versus non-perishable supplies do you need daily?
Restaurant supply management typically splits 60% toward perishable items and 40% toward non-perishable goods by monetary value.
Perishable items include fresh meat, seafood, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, and baked goods that require daily or every-other-day ordering to maintain quality and safety standards. These items have short shelf lives and represent the majority of food cost due to their freshness requirements and higher price points.
Non-perishable supplies encompass dry goods like rice, pasta, canned products, spices, bottled beverages, and cleaning supplies that can be ordered weekly or bi-weekly. While representing less monetary value, these items provide operational stability and reduce daily ordering complexity.
This is one of the strategies explained in our restaurant business plan.
How many supplier deliveries should you schedule daily?
Most restaurants require 1-3 supplier deliveries per day, with frequency varying by restaurant type and operational complexity.
Fast-casual restaurants typically receive 1-2 deliveries daily, focusing on fresh produce, dairy, and protein deliveries in the morning, with potential afternoon deliveries for specialty items. Fine dining establishments often require daily deliveries and sometimes twice-daily deliveries for ultra-fresh seafood, specialty ingredients, and artisanal products.
Perishable items like fresh fish, produce, and dairy require daily delivery schedules to maintain quality standards, while non-perishable goods follow weekly or bi-weekly delivery patterns. Coordinating delivery times prevents kitchen disruption and ensures proper storage handling.
Establish delivery windows during off-peak hours (typically 8-11 AM) to minimize operational interference while ensuring adequate time for inventory checking and proper storage before service periods begin.
What is your expected daily food waste and how should you measure it?
Food waste typically ranges from 4-10% of total food purchased daily, translating to 8-30 kg of waste for restaurants serving 300 customers.
| Waste Category | Daily Amount (300 customers) | Measurement & Reduction Methods |
|---|---|---|
| Prep Waste | 3-8 kg daily | Weigh vegetable trimmings, track prep efficiency, optimize cutting techniques, use scraps for stocks |
| Expired Inventory | 2-5 kg daily | FIFO rotation system, smaller batch ordering, digital inventory tracking, staff training on dates |
| Plate Waste | 2-7 kg daily | Monitor customer returns, adjust portion sizes, improve recipe quality, track popular items |
| Cooking Errors | 1-4 kg daily | Standardize recipes, train kitchen staff, improve communication systems, quality control checks |
| End-of-Day Surplus | 3-6 kg daily | Better demand forecasting, smaller batch cooking, donate surplus, staff meals program |
| Storage Issues | 1-3 kg daily | Proper temperature control, adequate storage space, regular equipment maintenance, labeling systems |
| Contamination | 0.5-2 kg daily | Strict hygiene protocols, separate storage areas, regular cleaning schedules, staff health monitoring |
Implement daily waste logs with digital scales, categorize waste types, and establish reduction targets of 1-2% monthly improvement to optimize food costs and environmental impact.
How much water, gas, and electricity does your restaurant consume daily?
Daily utility consumption varies significantly by restaurant size, equipment, and menu complexity, directly impacting operational costs and environmental footprint.
Water usage typically ranges from 3,000-10,000 liters per day, covering dishwashing, food preparation, cleaning, and restroom facilities. High-volume establishments with extensive dishwashing operations and fresh food prep require maximum consumption levels.
Gas consumption averages 5-20 cubic meters daily, primarily for cooking equipment like grills, fryers, ovens, and water heaters. Restaurants with extensive grilling operations or pizza ovens consume more gas than establishments using primarily electric equipment.
Electricity usage spans 150-500 kWh daily for refrigeration, lighting, ventilation, electronic equipment, and some cooking appliances. Energy-efficient LED lighting, ENERGY STAR equipment, and proper insulation reduce consumption while maintaining operational standards.
What daily cash flow do you need to cover operating expenses?
Daily cash flow requirements typically range from $1,000-$3,500 for casual dining restaurants, with fine dining establishments requiring significantly higher amounts.
Payroll represents the largest daily expense, ranging from $300-$1,500 depending on staff size, wage rates, and shift coverage. This includes base wages, overtime, benefits, and payroll taxes calculated on a daily basis for accurate cash flow planning.
Ingredient and supplier payments constitute $600-$2,000 daily, covering fresh food purchases, beverages, and consumable supplies. Many suppliers require immediate payment or short payment terms, making daily cash flow critical for inventory management.
Additional daily expenses include utilities ($50-$200), equipment maintenance ($20-$100), credit card processing fees (2-4% of sales), insurance, licenses, and miscellaneous operational costs that accumulate throughout each business day.
We cover this exact topic in the restaurant business plan.
What is your maximum seating capacity and how does it affect operations?
Average full-service restaurants accommodate 60-120 seats, with capacity directly influencing reservation management, staffing requirements, and revenue potential.
Seating capacity determines your maximum revenue potential through table turnover rates, which range from 2-6 customers per seat daily depending on service style and meal duration. Fine dining restaurants achieve 2-3 turns per seat, while casual dining reaches 4-5 turns during peak periods.
Reservation management becomes critical at 70% capacity utilization, requiring systems to balance confirmed bookings with walk-in availability. Overbooking strategies typically allow 10-15% above capacity to account for no-shows and cancellations.
Kitchen capacity must align with seating capacity to prevent bottlenecks during peak periods, requiring proper equipment sizing, prep space, and staffing levels to maintain service quality across all seats simultaneously.
What health, safety, and sanitation requirements must you check daily?
Daily compliance requires systematic monitoring of food safety protocols, equipment functionality, and documentation procedures to meet regulatory standards and protect customer health.
- Food Temperature Monitoring: Check refrigerator and freezer temperatures twice daily, verify hot holding temperatures every 4 hours, monitor cooking temperatures with calibrated thermometers
- Kitchen Sanitation Protocols: Clean and sanitize all food contact surfaces, wash hands and change gloves regularly, maintain separate cutting boards for different food types
- Handwashing Station Maintenance: Ensure hot water availability, stock soap and paper towels, verify proper signage placement, check water temperature compliance (100-108°F)
- Staff Hygiene Compliance: Monitor employee health status, verify proper uniform cleanliness, ensure hair restraints and apron usage, check for cuts or bandages
- Pest Control Verification: Inspect entry points for signs of infestation, check bait stations and traps, maintain door and window seals, remove potential attractants
- Restroom and Public Area Cleaning: Stock supplies, clean fixtures, maintain proper lighting, check plumbing functionality, ensure accessibility compliance
- Documentation and Record Keeping: Complete daily checklists, log temperature readings, record cleaning activities, maintain corrective action reports, prepare for health inspections
Assign specific staff members responsibility for each area, conduct hourly spot-checks during peak periods, and maintain digital or physical logs available for immediate health department inspection access.
Conclusion
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Readers are encouraged to consult with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions. We accept no liability for any actions taken based on the information provided.
Understanding these daily operational requirements provides the foundation for successful restaurant management and sustainable profitability.
Regular monitoring and adjustment of these metrics based on actual performance data ensures continuous improvement and long-term business success.
Sources
- Dojo Business - Restaurant Daily Operations
- Dojo Business - Daily Service Numbers
- Checkmate - Restaurant Sales Optimization
- Bureau of Labor Statistics - Food Service Data
- GloriaFood - Food and Beverage Sales
- Synergy Suite - Restaurant Daily Reports
- RestroWorks - Restaurant Sales Reporting
- Menubly - Restaurant Revenue Calculator
