Planning · Revenue

Forecast the week, day by day.

A flat daily average hides that Saturday does three times what Tuesday does. Set covers and spend per day and see where the revenue really comes from.

Per week

$28,770

Per month

$124,670

Per year

$1,496,040

685 covers a week

  • covers$per cover$2,520
  • covers$per cover$2,310
  • covers$per cover$2,940
  • covers$per cover$3,570
  • covers$per cover$5,460
  • covers$per cover$6,930
  • covers$per cover$5,040

Monthly figure is the week multiplied by 52 and divided by 12, which is more accurate than multiplying by four.

Free — limited-time offer

Next month's forecast should be built from last month's actuals.

MinimalPOS reports net sales by day and peak hour, so the shape of your week comes out of the till rather than out of memory.

How this free tool helps

Restaurant 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.

From planning tool to restaurant operations

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.

Explore MinimalPOS Restaurant POS

Frequently asked questions

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.