Retail & Restaurant Break-Even Point Calculator
Calculate the break-even point for your retail store or restaurant in units sold, daily revenue, and months to profitability. Enter fixed costs, variable costs, and average price.
Break-Even Point Formula
Break-even is the revenue point where total costs equal total revenue — neither profit nor loss.
Fixed costs include rent, salaries, insurance, and utilities. Variable costs include food/product cost, packaging, and credit card fees. The industry standard food cost for restaurants is 28–35% of revenue.
How to Use the Break-Even Calculator
Enter your monthly fixed costs
Sum all costs that don't change with sales volume: rent, base payroll, insurance, loan payments, software subscriptions.
Enter your average sale/ticket price
For restaurants, use average check per customer. For retail, use average transaction value.
Enter your variable cost per unit/transaction
For restaurants, this is food cost + disposables per customer. For retail, this is your cost of goods sold (COGS) per transaction.
Set your days open per year
Most restaurants operate 300–360 days/year. Use your planned operating schedule.
Real-World Scenario Example
"A coffee shop has $15,000/month fixed costs, $6 average ticket, and $2.10 variable cost per customer."
Inputs
Result
Contribution margin = $3.90. Break-even units/month = 3,846 customers. Break-even daily = 128 customers/day at ~$768/day revenue.
Important Disclaimer
Break-even estimates are based on inputs provided. Actual performance depends on market conditions, execution, and local competition. Consult a business advisor for full financial planning.
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