Checklists, private events and catering, seasonal plans, tip pools and service training: every guide, calculator and template for the floor.
The front of house is where the guest decides whether to come back, and where events, holidays and the patio either add margin or add chaos. This hub brings together our guides, calculators and templates for the floor: opening and closing systems, the steps of service, the host stand and the pre-shift meeting, pricing private events and catering so the margin is real, planning the big dates on the calendar, running a fair tip pool and training a team to a consistent standard of service. Start with the checklists, because a consistent open and close is what everything else is built on.
Start here, in this order.
Long-form guides with the formula, benchmarks by concept, a worked example and a routine.
No signup. Load the sample numbers to see how each one works, then enter your own.
Typical ranges by concept. Use them to orient, then manage to your own weekly trend.
| Metric | Full service | Bar-led | Quick service | Fine dining / club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average check per cover | $25 to $45 | $18 to $35 | $10 to $18 | $75 to $150+ |
| Table turns, dinner | 1.5 to 2.5 | n/a | n/a | 1.0 to 1.5 |
| Tables per server, dinner | 4 to 6 | n/a | n/a | 3 to 4 |
| Comps and voids (of sales) | Under 2% | Under 2.5% | Under 1.5% | Under 2% |
| Beverage share of sales | 20 to 30% | 55 to 75% | 10 to 20% | 30 to 40% |
| Sales per seat per year | $10k to $25k | $12k to $30k | $6k to $15k | $25k to $50k |
All forty benchmarks, with what moves each one, are on the benchmarks page. Terms are defined in the glossary.
Excel and Google Sheets tools built from the same methods, one-time purchase.
Most full service dining rooms give a server four to six tables at dinner and fine dining three to four. A patio or a section that is far from the kitchen should get one or two fewer, because every table takes more steps.
Start from the food and beverage cost of the package, add the labor the event needs, then set a food and beverage minimum and a service charge that cover both with a real margin. The private events guide walks through a 60 guest dinner.
The safety and food safety checks first (temperatures, equipment, the floor), then the stations: setup, par levels, specials and the pre-shift brief. Each line should have an owner and a sign-off so it gets done the same way every day.
By hours, by points, or by hours times points, decided in writing before the shift and applied the same way every time. Managers and supervisors cannot keep pooled tips under federal law, and many states have their own rules.
We spend two to four days in an operation, find where the money is going and install the systems that keep it fixed. Fixed price, on site.
See the consulting services Get the free Prime Cost Check