Free Restaurant Shift Cost Simulator
Plug in your forecast sales, target labor %, planned hours by section, and wage mix. The simulator returns the projected labor cost, the percentage against target, sales per labor hour, the variance, and the hour adjustment that would land the schedule exactly on target.
Shift cost simulator
Forecast sales, plan the schedule, and check the projection against your labor target before you publish.
Projected labor cost
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Projected labor cost %
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Variance vs target
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Sales per labor hour
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Hours to add / cut to hit target
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Tip: build the BOH layer first against the forecast, then layer FOH around what's left. The simulator loads payroll tax + benefits at 20% as a US-style default; adjust for your jurisdiction.
Why the simulator matters at the schedule stage
How to use the simulator
Eight inputs. The math runs live in your browser, nothing leaves the page.
- 1
Enter forecast weekly net sales from the trailing four-week average for the same days of the week, adjusted for known events.
- 2
Enter your target labor cost % (28% is a common casual full-service default; QSR runs leaner around 24-26%, fine dining heavier around 30-34%).
- 3
Enter the BOH average loaded hourly wage and the total BOH hours you have scheduled for the week.
- 4
Enter the FOH average loaded hourly wage and the total FOH hours you have scheduled for the week.
- 5
Enter the weekly salaried payroll (fully loaded) for any manager, chef, or salaried role that runs through the schedule.
- 6
Set the payroll tax + benefits load (US-style default is 20%; adjust for your jurisdiction).
- 7
Read the result. The projection should land within ±1 point of your target. Anything more is a schedule that needs re-balancing before publishing.
The shift cost formula
The simulator runs the same math every scheduling tool runs, made explicit:
Projected Labor = ((BOH wage × BOH hours) + (FOH wage × FOH hours)) × (1 + load %) + Salaried
From there the projection becomes operational: Projected Labor % = Projected Labor / Forecast Sales, SPLH = Forecast Sales / Total Scheduled Hours, Variance = Projected Labor - (Forecast Sales × Target %), and the hour adjustment is Variance ÷ Average Loaded Hourly Wage. The hour adjustment is the most useful single number: it tells you exactly how many hours to add or cut to land on target.
Healthy labor cost % bands by format
Set your target inside these bands. The simulator badges your projection against them so you can see at a glance whether the schedule is on track.
| Format | Healthy band | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Quick-service restaurant | Labor 22-28% | High throughput, lower hourly wage mix. SPLH typically $60-$110. |
| Casual full-service / bistro | Labor 26-30% | The default target for most independents. SPLH typically $55-$85. |
| Fine dining | Labor 30-36% | Higher hourly mix and longer service hours; offset by ticket size. SPLH $65-$95. |
| Pizzeria | Labor 22-28% | Lower variable labor; volume-and-throughput model. |
| Bar / pub kitchen | Labor 24-30% | Beverage margin offsets a slightly higher floor mix. |
| Hotel F&B | Labor 32-38% | Complex menu mix and union exposure in many markets. |
A worked example
A 70-cover bistro forecasting $82,000 in net sales next week, with a 28% labor target, open six days:
- BOH: 220 hours at $19/hr loaded average
- FOH: 240 hours at $17/hr loaded average (after tip credit where applicable)
- Salaried: $2,400/week (GM + sous, fully loaded)
- Payroll tax + benefits load: 20% (US default)
Hourly base = (220 × $19) + (240 × $17) = $4,180 + $4,080 = $8,260
Hourly loaded = $8,260 × 1.20 = $9,912
Total projected labor = $9,912 + $2,400 = $12,312
Projected labor % = $12,312 / $82,000 = 15.0% ... wait, that is way below target. The schedule is under-budgeted; either the forecast is too low or the scheduled hours are insufficient. The simulator badges this as 'Lean' and prompts a recheck of forecast inputs, the BOH variable layer, and cover-per-server-hour before publishing. The lesson: never publish a schedule that pencils more than 2 points below target without auditing the forecast first - a slow week is more often a forecast error than an actual staffing win.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good target labor cost percentage?+
Depends on format. QSR and pizzeria target 22-28%, casual full-service 26-30%, fine dining 30-36%, bar/pub kitchens 24-30%, hotel F&B 32-38%. Set your target inside the band for your format, then schedule against it. Operators who try to run two to three points below their format band consistently are usually trading service quality for the appearance of margin.
How accurate does the wage input need to be?+
Use the trailing four-week average loaded hourly wage by section (BOH and FOH), not the headline base wage. Loaded means base wage plus the share of payroll tax and benefits that you treat as variable. Most operators are within ±$1/hr accuracy with this method, which is more than enough for the simulator to give a useful projection.
Should I include salaried payroll in the simulator?+
Yes, for any salaried role that runs through your weekly labor budget (general manager, executive chef, sous chef if salaried). Exclude salaried roles that you treat as fixed overhead in your P&L (controller, accountant) - those go into fixed costs, not the labor line. The distinction matters because mis-classifying a fixed role as variable will make the schedule look more expensive than it is.
What does the hour-adjustment number mean?+
It is the exact number of labor hours you would need to add (positive) or cut (negative) at the average loaded hourly wage to make the projection land exactly on target. Use it as a guide, not a prescription - cutting the cheapest hour is rarely the right operational move. Walk through the BOH layer, the FOH variable layer, and start times in that order before deciding which hours to trim.
Why does my projection swing so much week to week?+
Almost always a forecast input problem rather than a schedule problem. The trailing-average forecast is within ±6% of actuals on a normal week, which means a $80k forecast can deliver $75k or $85k and your projection will move 2-3 points either way. Build the schedule against the forecast, then re-check the projection mid-week with the latest sales data and tighten the FOH variable layer if it has drifted.
Does the simulator store the data I enter?+
No. The simulator runs entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server, nothing is logged, nothing is stored after you close the page. Safe to use on real wage data and forecast numbers without exposure.
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