Beregning
The arithmetic, in full
The service builder is not a model and there is nothing fitted or hidden in it. It is one multiplication, published here so you can check it against your own service and disagree with it.
Last updated 13 August 2026 · Governing law: Denmark
The calculation
pieces = ceil( seats × pieces-per-seat × turnover allowance )
Three inputs, one multiplication, rounded up. Categories with a rate of zero are left out of the result entirely — a coffee-only counter is not asked to buy dinner plates.
Turnover allowance, by setting
The allowance covers what is in the wash, what is in service and what has been broken and not yet replaced. It goes up with the speed of the room.
| Setting | Why | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|
| Home | One household, washing between meals. | ×1.2 |
| Café | Fast turnover, one machine behind the counter. | ×1.4 |
| Restaurant | Full covers, two or more sittings. | ×1.5 |
| Shared kitchen | Office or studio, irregular washing. | ×1.3 |
Pieces per seat, by menu
These rates come from what a cover actually uses in each service pattern. A brunch cover uses more small plates and cups than a dinner cover; a dinner cover uses more deep plates and serving pieces.
| Category | Coffee only | Breakfast and brunch | Full meals | Everything |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinner plates | — | 0.6 | 1 | 1 |
| Side plates | 0.5 | 1 | 0.6 | 1 |
| Deep plates | — | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| Bowls | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.8 |
| Cups and saucers | 1 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.8 |
| Stacking mugs | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.5 |
| Serving pieces | 0.05 | 0.15 | 0.25 | 0.3 |
| Prep bowls | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.35 |
Which piece each category uses
The builder prices each category against one representative piece. You can change the count on any line before adding it, and you can of course buy a different piece instead — these are the defaults, not a restriction.
| Dinner plates | dinner-plate-26 |
|---|---|
| Side plates | side-plate-16 |
| Deep plates | pasta-plate-24 |
| Bowls | cereal-bowl-15 |
| Cups and saucers | cappuccino-cup-220-saucer |
| Stacking mugs | mug-stacking-300 |
| Serving pieces | serving-bowl-28 |
| Prep bowls | stacking-prep-bowl-12 |
Stack heights
column height = piece height + stacking pitch × (count − 1)
A column of ten Ø26 dinner plates is 26 mm for the first plate plus 20 mm for each of the nine after it, which is the 206 mm printed on that piece. Pieces that do not stack are excluded from the column arithmetic and marked as such.
The builder reports two heights. Tallest single column is what your shelf clearance has to be; add about 40 mm on top to be able to lift the stack out. All columns combined is every category stacked in its own column and the heights added together, which is useful for planning total shelf run.
This is an estimate
It is not a commitment and it is not advice about your business. Two cafés with the same seat count and the same menu can differ by a factor of two in what they actually get through, depending on how fast tables turn, how often the machine runs, and how careful the room is. The builder gives you a defensible starting point and a total; it does not know your service.
If you would rather have a human look at it, send a volume enquiry with your seats, your menu and your opening date, and we will come back with a written proposal.
Changes to these rates
If we change a rate we change it here and in the builder at the same time — the builder reads this table rather than keeping its own copy. The date at the top of this page is the date of the current version.