Calculator
Two illustrative café days are filled in. Replace them with your own.
Use the same period
| Period | Sales | Labor hours | Sales per labor hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday | $2,450 | 38 | $64.47 |
| Tuesday | $1,120 | 22 | $50.91 |
| Mismatch: week's sales, Saturday's hours | $11,200 | 38 | $294.74 (meaningless) |
The last row divides a week of sales by one day of hours. The number looks impressive and means nothing. The most common mistake is subtler: sales from the till for one day, and hours from a pay period that started on a different day. Check both come from exactly the same dates, and the same hours of the day if you compare dayparts.
Which hours to count
- Count hours actually worked, from timesheets, not scheduled hours. If someone stayed an hour late, that hour helped make the sales.
- Paid hours or worked hours: pick one. Unpaid breaks make the two differ.
- Decide whether to include managers, salaried staff, the owner and off-floor work like prep or admin, and keep that rule.
- Use net sales (after refunds and discounts) or gross, but the same every time.
If you're converting hours and minutes, the minutes to decimal hours converter avoids the 1:30 vs 1.30 slip.
Labor as a percentage of sales
Labor % of sales is labor cost divided by sales. Saturday's $690 of wages on $2,450 is 28.2%; Tuesday's $398 on $1,120 is 35.5%. Fewer people on a quiet Tuesday would cut cost, but only if the day still runs.