What do you know about food costs and other related KPI's?

How to Answer
Entry Level
Answer Example
Community Answers

In the food-service industry, there are many metrics to keep your eye on, primarily when you work in a management position. Some key performance indicators include:

- Food cost percentage and food cost over food sales
- Food costs per head
- Kitchen labor cost over food sales
- Percentage of sales per selling items

These are just a sampling of the KPIs you may be asked to keep your eye on. Talk to the interviewer about your ability to deliver results surrounding the most critical metrics in this role.

"To prepare myself for this interview, I did a great deal of research on KPIs for the food and beverage industry. I am fantastic with numbers and can assure you that I would keep a close eye on the financial needs and performance of your business, should I be hired as your Food Service Manager."

"In my current position it's most important to my leadership team that I am on top of KPIs related to food and labor costs. These include food cost percentage and labor percentage over sales. I track these metrics every week and know where the ideal numbers should lay. When you hire me, you will hire an experienced Food Service Manager who can deliver the utmost in profitability."

Anonymous Answer

"It is imperative to monitor food costs and labor costs and other KPIs to measure how successful the department is running."

Stephanie's Feedback

This is great knowledge to have, but I suggest taking your response a step further by providing a specific example of a time when you kept food costs lower or achieved another KPI. What was the situation?

Next Question

How to Answer: What do you know about food costs and other related KPI's?

Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Food Service Manager job interview.

18. What do you know about food costs and other related KPI's?

How to Answer

In the food-service industry, there are many metrics to keep your eye on, primarily when you work in a management position. Some key performance indicators include:

- Food cost percentage and food cost over food sales
- Food costs per head
- Kitchen labor cost over food sales
- Percentage of sales per selling items

These are just a sampling of the KPIs you may be asked to keep your eye on. Talk to the interviewer about your ability to deliver results surrounding the most critical metrics in this role.

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 1st, 2019

Entry Level

"To prepare myself for this interview, I did a great deal of research on KPIs for the food and beverage industry. I am fantastic with numbers and can assure you that I would keep a close eye on the financial needs and performance of your business, should I be hired as your Food Service Manager."

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 1st, 2019

Answer Example

"In my current position it's most important to my leadership team that I am on top of KPIs related to food and labor costs. These include food cost percentage and labor percentage over sales. I track these metrics every week and know where the ideal numbers should lay. When you hire me, you will hire an experienced Food Service Manager who can deliver the utmost in profitability."

Written by Rachelle Enns on December 1st, 2019

Anonymous Interview Answers with Professional Feedback

Anonymous Answer

"It is imperative to monitor food costs and labor costs and other KPIs to measure how successful the department is running."

Stephanie's Feedback

This is great knowledge to have, but I suggest taking your response a step further by providing a specific example of a time when you kept food costs lower or achieved another KPI. What was the situation?

Next Question