Frequently Asked Questions

Do restaurants need a CFO?

Not every restaurant requires a full-time CFO, but nearly every growing restaurant can benefit from CFO-level financial guidance. As restaurants become more complex—with multiple revenue streams, increasing labor costs, expansion plans, or financing needs—strategic financial oversight becomes increasingly valuable.

Cerboni provides outsourced CFO services that give restaurant owners access to executive financial expertise without the expense of a full-time executive salary.

What does a restaurant CFO do?

A restaurant Chief Financial Officer (CFO) provides strategic financial leadership that goes beyond day-to-day bookkeeping and accounting. A CFO analyzes your financial performance, develops budgets and forecasts, improves cash flow, monitors key performance indicators (KPIs), and helps guide major business decisions such as expansion, financing, and profitability improvements.

At Cerboni Financial Services, our outsourced CFO services provide restaurant owners with executive-level financial expertise—without the cost of hiring a full-time CFO. We help you understand your numbers, identify opportunities for growth, and make confident decisions that strengthen your business.

What financial KPIs should restaurant owners monitor?

Monitoring the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) allows restaurant owners to measure financial performance and identify trends before they become problems.

Important restaurant KPIs include:

Gross Profit Margin
Net Profit Margin
Prime Cost
Food Cost Percentage
Beverage Cost Percentage
Labor Cost Percentage
Cash Flow
Average Guest Check
Table Turnover Rate
Inventory Turnover
Revenue Per Available Seat Hour (RevPASH)
EBITDA
Break-Even Point
Customer Acquisition Cost (for restaurants with strong marketing efforts)
Same-Store Sales Growth
Debt-to-Income Ratio

While tracking KPIs is important, understanding what they mean is even more valuable.

At Cerboni Financial Services, we build customized executive dashboards that help restaurant owners monitor the financial metrics that matter most. Our CFO consultants explain the story behind the numbers, empowering you to make proactive decisions that improve performance and support sustainable growth.

What is restaurant prime cost?

Prime Cost equals:

Food Costs + Beverage Costs + Labor Costs

This is one of the most important financial metrics for restaurants because it represents the largest portion of operating expenses.

Cerboni tracks prime cost trends to help clients identify opportunities to improve profitability.

Why is my restaurant profitable but I have no cash?

Profit and cash flow are not the same.

Cash may be tied up in:

Inventory
Equipment purchases
Loan payments
Payroll timing
Outstanding receivables

Cerboni helps restaurant owners understand these differences and build healthier cash flow management practices.

Restaurant Consulting

Turning data into action, profitability, and ROI

Two new restaurants in Texas. CFO advisor helped push improvements in metrics and profitability.

Frequently Asked Questions