Brute force in fast food and delivery: benchmarks 2025 and levers for improvement

Gross profit in the restaurant industry is defined as revenue minus the cost of raw materials divided by revenue. In traditional fast food (without delivery), healthy gross margins range between 65% and 75%. The arrival of delivery with its commission fees of 25-30% significantly compresses these margins. By 2025, the benchmarks for a restaurant that generates 50-70% of its revenue through platforms are: target gross margin between 55% and 65%, below 50% is concerning.

The first lever for improving gross margin is supplier negotiation. Many independent restaurateurs pay for their raw materials at catalog prices, while a simple negotiation can obtain a 5 to 10% discount for a volume commitment. Grouping purchases with a smaller number of suppliers (to reach volume thresholds) and paying 30 days instead of cash are two techniques that improve business terms.

Lever 2 is reducing losses and waste. In the restaurant industry, food waste represents an average of 7 to 10% of the cost of raw materials. Precise technical sheets, rigorous stock management (FIFO: first in, first out), and regular loss analysis can reduce this rate to 3-4%. On a raw material cost of 5,000 euros per month, this is a monthly saving of 150 to 350 euros.

Lever number 3 is portion optimization. Standardizing portions with precision scales and calibrated utensils reduces variations and prevents over-portioning. A study by the NRA (National Restaurant Association) shows that non-standardized portions cost an average of 4-6% additional food cost. Investing in portion scales (€30-50) is one of the best returns on investment in the restaurant industry.

Lever number 4 is the engineering of menu previously evoked: removing deficit dishes, highlighting Stars, and gradually increasing the prices of milk cows. Lever number 5, often neglected, is the diversification of sales channels. Increasing the share of direct orders (via your own website, QR code in the restaurant, and click & collect) mechanically improves your overall margin without touching revenue or prices.

A useful exercise: calculate your gross margin separately for dine-in orders (if applicable), direct delivery orders, and orders through each platform. This breakdown often reveals surprises: some restaurants discover that a channel that represents 30% of their revenue only generates 15% of their gross margin. This analysis guides prioritization and resource allocation decisions.