## Restaurant Sales Forecast Calculator

URL: https://minimalpos.com/tools/sales-forecast-calculator

A flat daily average hides the fact that Saturday does three times what Tuesday does. Set covers and average spend per day of the week, and this projects the week, the month and the year — with each day's contribution visible so you can see where the revenue actually comes from.

### Features

- Covers and average spend set per day of the week
- Weekly, monthly and annual projection
- Each day's share of the week shown
- Adjustable trading days
- Sensitivity view at 90% and 110% of forecast

### How it relates to MinimalPOS

A forecast is only useful next to what happened. MinimalPOS reports net sales by day and by peak hour, so last month's actuals become next month's forecast instead of a guess.

**How do you forecast restaurant sales?** Multiply expected covers by average spend per cover, for each day, then total the week. Forecasting day by day rather than using a flat average matters because weekend revenue is often several times a quiet weekday.

**What is average spend per cover?** Total revenue divided by the number of guests over the same period. It is more stable than average bill value, because bill value moves with party size while spend per head does not.

**How far ahead should I forecast?** A month at a time is realistic for most independents, refreshed with actuals as they come in. Annual figures are useful for a lease negotiation or a lender, but treat them as a range rather than a number.

**What should I do about seasonality?** Build the forecast from a representative recent period rather than your best week, then adjust for known events — school holidays, festive periods, the monsoon. If last year's data exists, use its shape rather than inventing one.