Restaurant Daily Sales Report: 20 Minutes to Revenue Clarity
Most restaurant managers close the night with three questions: Did we make money? How much did labor cost? What do we do tomorrow?
Most can't answer them. That's why they're losing profit.
This template takes 20 minutes to fill out. It tells you if you're profitable, where you're leaking money, and what to fix tomorrow.
The Three Numbers That Matter
1. Labor Cost % (Target: 28-35%)
This is your #1 control lever. If labor is over 35% of revenue, you're losing money.
How to calculate: Total labor cost / Total revenue x 100
If too high: Cut hours, not quality. Send people home early on slow nights. Schedule based on forecasted covers, not habit.
2. Food Cost % (Target: 28-32%)
This is your #2 lever. If food cost is over 35%, check portion sizes, waste, and purchasing.
How to calculate: Total food cost / Total food revenue x 100
If too high: Check portion sizes. Track waste. Negotiate with suppliers. Menu engineering (push high-margin items).
3. Daily Revenue vs. Target
If you're under target 3 days in a row, something needs to change. Marketing, menu, or staffing.
The Daily Report Template
Revenue
| Category | Today | Target | Variance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food sales | $_____ | $_____ | $_____ |
| Beverage sales | $_____ | $_____ | $_____ |
| Total Revenue | $_____ | $_____ | $_____ |
Cost of Goods Sold
| Category | Today | % of Revenue | Target % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food cost | $_____ | _____% | 28-32% |
| Beverage cost | $_____ | _____% | 18-22% |
| Total COGS | $_____ | _____% | 30-35% |
Labor
| Category | Today | % of Revenue | Target % |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOH (Kitchen) | $_____ | _____% | 15-18% |
| FOH (Front) | $_____ | _____% | 12-15% |
| Total Labor | $_____ | _____% | 28-35% |
Profit Summary
| Metric | Today | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Total Revenue | $_____ | $_____ |
| Total COGS | $_____ | 30-35% |
| Total Labor | $_____ | 28-35% |
| Net Profit | $_____ | 8-15% |
The Common Mistake
Filling out the report but not acting on it. The report is useless if you don't use it to make decisions.
Every day, pick ONE thing to improve tomorrow:
- Was labor too high? Schedule fewer hours tomorrow.
- Was food cost too high? Check waste log and portions.
- Was revenue below target? Push a promotion or special.
How to Use This Template
- Print it or copy to a spreadsheet
- Fill it out at close every night (20 minutes)
- Review weekly trends every Sunday
- Adjust targets monthly based on actuals
- Share with your team - transparency drives accountability
Get the full template with automatic calculations: Ops Mega Bundle
Free resource: The First 30 Minutes - free incident quick-start checklist.
Use code LAUNCH50 for 50% off anything in the store.
