Restaurant guidesPractical guides for UK restaurant operators.
Bookings, no-shows, margins, tips law, staffing and opening a site. Written for the people who run the floor, with the numbers and rules that actually apply in the UK.
Every guide is fact-checked against primary sources and dated. Read our editorial policy for how we research, use AI and handle competitor prices.
Free calculators
- Menu price & GP calculatorPrice a dish from its cost and target gross profit, VAT included.
- Food cost percentage calculatorActual food cost % for a week or month from stock counts and purchases.
- No-show cost calculatorWhat empty booked tables cost you a year, and what a deposit recovers.
- Tronc & tip split calculatorSplit a tip pool by hours worked or by points, fairly and transparently.
Reservations
- How to Reduce Restaurant No-Shows: 12 UK Tactics That WorkDated UK no-show data and 12 tactics to cut restaurant no-shows: reminders, deposits, card guarantees, waitlists and fair cancellation policies.Updated
- Restaurant Deposit Policy UK: Rules, Amounts and a TemplateHow UK restaurants set deposit and no-show fee policies fairly: sizing, Consumer Rights Act tests, VAT on deposits and copy-ready wording.Updated
Money & margins
- GP Calculator for Restaurants and Bars: How to Work Out GP with VATCalculate GP% and cash margin for food and drinks, strip 20% VAT correctly, and use a GP-to-price table to set UK menu prices that hit your target.Updated
- Food Cost Percentage Calculator for UK Restaurants: Formula and ExamplesFree UK food cost calculator guide: the formula, VAT handled correctly, worked examples per dish and per month, benchmarks and ways to cut food cost.Updated
- Restaurant VAT in the UK: Rates, Takeaway, Service Charge, Tips and DepositsVAT for UK restaurants explained: 20% on catering, hot vs cold takeaway, service charge and tips, deposits, the £90,000 threshold and Flat Rate Scheme.Updated
Choosing software
- Restaurant Booking System UK: 2026 Buyer's GuideCompare UK restaurant booking systems on price, per-cover fees, deposits and no-show tools, with listed plan prices and a 30-day switching plan.Updated
- Restaurant Booking System Cost UK: Plans, Fees and a Worked ExampleWhat a restaurant booking system costs in the UK: listed plan prices, per-cover and commission models, SMS and set-up fees, plus a 60-cover example.Updated
- Restaurant EPOS System UK: Costs, Contracts and FeaturesWhat a UK restaurant EPOS really costs: software, hardware, card rates and contract traps, with a 3-year cost example and a buying checklist.Updated
- AI Phone Answering for Restaurants: How It Works and What to CheckHow AI phone answering works for restaurants: booking into your diary, handoff to staff, languages, UK GDPR call recording, costs and real limits.Updated