Restaurant inventory turnover: formula and industry average
By mise · Updated September 29, 2026
Quick answer: inventory turnover = COGS ÷ average inventory, where average inventory = (beginning + ending) ÷ 2. Restaurants typically turn food 4–8 times a month (about 4–7 days on hand) and beverage 1–2 times a month. Days on hand = days in period ÷ turnover.
Turnover tells you how fast your stock becomes sales. Too slow ties up cash and creates waste; too fast means you are running out and paying for emergency orders.
The formulas
Typical ranges
| Category | Monthly turnover | Days on hand |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh food | 6–10× | 3–5 |
| All food | 4–8× | 4–7 |
| Beer | 2–4× | 8–15 |
| Wine and liquor | 1–2× | 15–30 |
Reading the number
- Too low (lots of days on hand): cash stuck on shelves, more spoilage, more room for theft. Lower par levels and order more often.
- Too high: frequent 86s, emergency buys at retail prices. Raise pars on fast movers.
- Look at it by category and by product — a total can hide a slow wine list behind a fast kitchen.
In mise you see stock value, usage and days of cover by product after each count, and par levels warn you before something runs out.
Point the camera and the product comes up complete: name, brand, category, size and photo — the mise AI finds it from the barcode or a photo. 7-day free trial, no card.
Start free
Frequently asked questions
What is a good inventory turnover for a restaurant?
About 4–8 times a month for food (roughly a week or less on hand) and 1–2 times a month for wine and liquor.
How do you calculate days of inventory on hand?
Divide the number of days in the period by the turnover. Or: average inventory ÷ COGS × days.