How is labor cost percentage calculated?

Divide labor cost by revenue for the same period and multiply by 100. Scheduled hours multiplied by hourly rate gives a planned wage-cost estimate; actual payroll and employer costs may differ. The percentage alone does not establish profitability.

Does this replace payroll or tax software?

No. ShiftPriority supports scheduling, time tracking, and payroll-hours review. It does not run payroll, withhold tax, or file returns. The public calculator is a planning tool.

Is the in-app sales dashboard available?

Yes, on the Pro and Business plans with Square or SumUp connected: the Overview shows today's sales, labor cost as a share of sales, orders and your best seller. Reports show sales by hour, day, payment method and person, with labor cost for each hour and day.

Do I need a POS connected to use the calculator?

No. Enter your own same-period labor cost and revenue in the public calculator. In the app, Square and SumUp fill in revenue automatically.

Know your restaurant's labor cost before the month ends

Compare hours and wage cost with revenue from the same period. Use the free calculator and your ShiftPriority schedule to review the week; with Square or SumUp connected, the Overview shows it live and Reports show it by hour and by day.

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Labor cost is usually a guess until it's too late

Most small restaurants only find out their real labor cost when payroll lands next month - long after the schedule that caused it.

The numbers arrive too late to act on

By the time payroll is run, the week that overspent is already over.

Scheduling happens blind

Without live cost feedback, it's easy to overstaff a quiet shift or understaff a busy one.

Revenue and wages live in different tools

Sales sit in the POS, hours sit in the schedule - nobody's comparing them in real time.

Owners and managers see different things

Sensitive cost and revenue numbers shouldn't be visible to everyone with schedule access.

A practical labor-cost review

Start with your own records, calculate the percentage, and review the hours behind it. This workflow does not require a live POS integration.

Use the same period

Compare labor cost and revenue from the same venue and dates. Keep planned wage cost separate from actual payroll cost.

Calculate a clear percentage

Labor cost percentage = labor cost ÷ revenue × 100. The public calculator accepts your own figures and shows the result.

Review the schedule behind the number

Use ShiftPriority's schedule and timesheets to review coverage and hours before deciding which shifts need changing.

Live numbers with a connected POS

Connect Square or SumUp and the Overview shows today's sales next to labor cost as a share of sales. Reports show it by hour and by day, up to 12 months back.

Calculate your labor-cost percentage →

Questions, answered

Give your team back their Sundays

Stop wrestling spreadsheets. Build your first schedule this afternoon - and see your labor cost the moment you publish.

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