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Hospitality Growth Advisors, LLC logoHospitality Growth Advisors, LLC
Veteran-Owned Business

Dallas & Florida

Restaurant Prime Cost & Margin Consulting in Dallas & Florida

The 90-Day Prime Cost Reset for independent restaurants, bars and bistros — targeting prime cost under 60%.

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What is restaurant prime cost consulting?

Restaurant prime cost consulting brings food, beverage and labor back into line as a share of sales. HGA works on site with independent restaurants, bars and bistros across Dallas–Fort Worth, Miami, Orlando and Tampa, structured around a 90-day measurement cycle that targets prime cost under 60%, tracked weekly against agreed operational and margin metrics.

The under-60% benchmark

Prime cost is food and beverage cost plus total labor, divided by net sales. For most full-service independents, holding it at or under 60% leaves room for rent, utilities and profit. We break it into two working targets:

  • Food & beverage costPlate costing, purchasing, pars, waste and pour control.
  • Labor costSales-based scheduling, overtime control and role design.

Targets vary by format, rent and service style. Read what good prime cost looks like.

Prime cost consulting by market

Dallas–Fort WorthRising rents in Uptown, Deep Ellum and Bishop Arts and a tight hourly labor market make weekly labor scheduling and plate costing the fastest levers.MiamiSeasonal swings, tourist-heavy covers and high occupancy costs mean menu pricing and labor flexing have to follow the calendar, not last year's P&L.OrlandoConvention and theme-park demand creates peaks and troughs; prime cost holds when par levels and schedules move with the booking calendar.Tampa BayFast-growing neighborhood dining from Ybor to St. Pete brings new competition — purchasing discipline and contribution-margin pricing protect the margin.

Elsewhere in the state? See restaurant consulting across Florida.

How the 90-day reset runs

  1. 1DiagnoseFour weeks of invoices, counts and payroll read against sales.
  2. 2Set targetsAgreed food, beverage and labor targets for your format.
  3. 3ImplementPlate costing, ordering pars, schedules and menu pricing changes.
  4. 4MeasureWeekly prime cost tracking against agreed metrics through day 90.

Related services: profitability & margin improvement, menu engineering and restaurant operations.

Common questions

What is a good prime cost for a restaurant?

Most full-service independents aim for prime cost — food, beverage and total labor as a share of sales — at or under 60%. Quick-service and coffee formats often run lower. The right target depends on format, rent and service style.

How does the 90-day prime cost reset work?

We start with a diagnostic of invoices, counts and payroll, set targets, then implement plate costing, ordering pars and labor schedules. Progress is tracked weekly against agreed metrics over a 90-day measurement cycle.

Do you work on site in Dallas and Florida?

Yes. HGA works with operators across Dallas–Fort Worth, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and the rest of Florida, combining on-site visits with remote weekly reviews.

Contact details

Hospitality Growth Advisors, LLC

Phone
+1 (214) 988-5411
Email
info@hgafirm.com
Areas served
Dallas–Fort Worth, Miami, Orlando, Tampa and statewide Florida
Hours of operation
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM ETSaturday & Sunday: Closed

Hospitality Growth Advisors is a service-area practice — we work on site at your establishment rather than from a storefront office.

Where is your prime cost today?

Take the two-minute health check, then book a free 20-minute margin review.

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