With the illustrative inputs below, the result is 136 units.
Try this with your own numbersFormula and worked example
Deliverable units = floor(hours × (1 − buffer) / hours per unit)
| Input | Example |
|---|---|
| Available delivery hours | 640 |
| Hours reserved for disruption | 15 % |
| Hours per meal order | 4 |
| Calculated result | 136 units |
Choose reliable inputs
Track purchased quantities, usable yield, labour and waste before deciding on a selling price. For this meal preparation calculation, use recipe sheets, supplier invoices and stock counts and a consistent definition of one meal order.
- Ingredients: include the portion belonging to this meal order or reporting period, and record where the value came from.
- Kitchen labour: include the portion belonging to this meal order or reporting period, and record where the value came from.
- Packaging: include the portion belonging to this meal order or reporting period, and record where the value came from.
Use the same currency for every money input. Do not mix weekly costs with monthly revenue, or count the same expense in both an itemised cost and allocated overhead.
Should every available hour be sold?
The reserve is your scenario assumption; it is not a universal staffing recommendation.
What if this input changes?
If available delivery hours rises by 10%, this example changes by 13 units. This shows the effect of one change; it does not predict what will happen.
Open the calculator, save your baseline, then change the input supported by the least reliable estimate in your records. Compare both scenarios before committing to a price or capacity promise.