Use this calculator to connect food truck payroll with the sales produced during the same shift, day, week, or accounting period. It reports labor cost as a share of net sales, plus sales per paid labor hour and average labor cost per hour. Keep all inputs on the same reporting period and include the labor expenses your operation consistently treats as payroll cost.
Labor cost percentage = labor cost ÷ net sales × 100
Sales per labor hour = net sales ÷ paid labor hours. Labor cost per paid hour = labor cost ÷ paid labor hours.
The main result shows how much of each sales dollar went to payroll for the period. The hourly figures help separate scheduling productivity from wage cost.
This is an operating estimate. Accounting classifications and local practices may differ.
With $2,400 in labor, $10,000 in net sales, and 160 paid hours, labor cost is 24.00%. Sales per labor hour are $62.50 and labor cost per paid hour is $15.00.
Include payroll taxes and benefits if they are part of the labor-cost figure used in your internal reports; be consistent between periods.
Count employer-paid tip expenses only if your accounting method records them as labor cost. Do not mix customer-paid tips with net sales.
Yes. Labor cost, sales, and paid hours simply need to cover the same shift.
Net sales avoids comparing labor with sales taxes, refunds, or other amounts that are not operating revenue.
The percentage would be undefined, so the calculator asks for sales greater than zero.
| Measure | Unit | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Labor cost | USD | Numerator of cost percentage |
| Net sales | USD | Revenue for the same period |
| Paid hours | Hours | Hourly productivity base |