Restaurant Profit and Loss Template: Food Cost, Labor, and Prime Cost Tracking (2026)
Restaurant P&L with industry-standard categories and benchmark targets. Worked example for a $1.2M casual dining restaurant with monthly comparison (January slow season vs June peak).
Annual Restaurant P&L
Casual dining restaurant, $1.2M annual revenue. 80 seats, open 6 days per week.
| Line Item | Annual | % Total Sales | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales | |||
| Food Sales | $900,000 | 75.0% | - |
| Beverage Sales | $300,000 | 25.0% | - |
| Total Sales | $1,200,000 | 100% | - |
| Cost of Sales | |||
| Food Cost | $297,000 | 24.8% | 28-35% |
| Beverage Cost | $63,000 | 5.3% | 18-24% |
| Gross Profit | $840,000 | 70.0% | - |
| Labor | |||
| Wages and Salaries | $299,520 | 25.0% | - |
| Payroll Taxes and Benefits | $84,480 | 7.0% | - |
| Prime Cost (COGS + Labor) | $744,000 | 62.0% | Under 65% |
| Controllable Expenses | |||
| Marketing and Promotions | $36,000 | 3.0% | 2-5% |
| Supplies (smallwares, paper) | $24,000 | 2.0% | 1-3% |
| Repairs and Maintenance | $18,000 | 1.5% | 1-2% |
| Utilities | $18,000 | 1.5% | 1.5-3% |
| Non-Controllable Expenses | |||
| Rent / Lease | $96,000 | 8.0% | 6-10% |
| Insurance | $24,000 | 2.0% | 1.5-3% |
| Depreciation | $19,200 | 1.6% | 1-2% |
| Net Income | $220,800 | 18.4% | 3-9% |
Seasonal Impact: January (Slow) vs June (Peak)
The same restaurant with fixed non-controllable costs shows dramatically different net income depending on season.
| Category | Amount | % |
|---|---|---|
| Food Sales | $72,000 | - |
| Beverage Sales | $18,000 | - |
| Total Sales | $90,000 | 100% |
| Food Cost | $23,040 | 32.0%* |
| Beverage Cost | $3,960 | 22.0%* |
| Labor | $31,500 | 35.0% |
| Prime Cost | $58,500 | 65.0% |
| Occupancy | $9,000 | 10.0% |
| Other Expenses | $10,800 | 12.0% |
| Net Income | $11,700 | 13.0% |
*Food and beverage cost % calculated against respective sales categories.
Post-holiday slowdown. Fixed costs (rent, insurance, depreciation) stay the same while sales drop 24%. Prime cost % increases because labor is harder to cut proportionally.
| Category | Amount | % |
|---|---|---|
| Food Sales | $95,000 | - |
| Beverage Sales | $28,000 | - |
| Total Sales | $123,000 | 100% |
| Food Cost | $30,400 | 32.0%* |
| Beverage Cost | $5,880 | 21.0%* |
| Labor | $37,690 | 30.6% |
| Prime Cost | $73,970 | 60.1% |
| Occupancy | $9,000 | 7.3% |
| Other Expenses | $12,600 | 10.2% |
| Net Income | $27,430 | 22.3% |
*Food and beverage cost % calculated against respective sales categories.
Peak season with outdoor dining. Higher volume spreads fixed costs. Prime cost % improves as labor scales more efficiently. Marketing spending increases to capture tourist traffic.
Food Cost and Prime Cost Tracking
+ Purchases ($22,000)
- Closing Inventory ($7,000)
= Cost of Food Sold ($23,000)
Food Cost % = $23,000 / $72,000 Food Sales = 31.9%
Conduct a spot inventory - is your closing inventory count accurate?
Review portion sizes against your recipe cards - are portions being over-served?
Check receiving processes - are you actually getting what you are paying for?
Review menu pricing - has your food cost increased without a corresponding price increase?
Check for waste and spoilage - are prep procedures creating excessive waste?
Audit staff meals and complimentary items - are these tracked?