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Australia Weekend vs Weekday Contribution Template (2026): Price by Shift, Not by Habit

A practical 2026 template for Australian cafes and restaurants to compare weekday and weekend contribution and make clearer pricing decisions.

Published Feb 14, 2026

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A full dining room on Saturday can still underperform a quieter Tuesday. That is the shift-economics trap.

If your model blends all days together, you are probably underpricing one high-pressure window.

Quick Take

ABS reported annual CPI movement at 3.8% in December 2025.
In the same release, meals out and takeaway foods were up 3.5% year over year.
Fair Work’s National Minimum Wage benchmark remains AUD 24.95/hour (effective 1 July 2025).
ACCC requires clear surcharge and price display communication.

You do not need a complex dashboard. You need one two-column contribution view: weekday vs weekend.

The Template Formula

Contribution per order =
  Net selling price
  - food cost
  - labour cost per order
  - packaging/channel variable cost

Run it twice for the same item:

weekday assumptions
weekend/public-holiday assumptions

Worked Example (One Brunch Item)

Assumptions:

Weekday

Net selling price: AUD 22.00
Food cost: AUD 6.40
Labour per order: AUD 3.10
Packaging/channel variable: AUD 0.80

Weekday contribution = 22.00 - 6.40 - 3.10 - 0.80 = AUD 11.70

Weekend

Net selling price: AUD 22.00
Food cost: AUD 6.40
Labour per order: AUD 4.40
Packaging/channel variable: AUD 0.80

Weekend contribution = 22.00 - 6.40 - 4.40 - 0.80 = AUD 10.40

Gap: AUD 1.30 per order. If volume is high, this becomes a major weekly leak.

5 Decisions This Template Supports

Keep price flat, adjust portion or build speed
Selective weekend price uplift
Public-holiday surcharge with clear disclosure
Modifier/add-on repricing instead of base-item move
Channel-specific pricing for delivery-heavy shifts

Weekly Control Checklist

Recalculate top 15 items with weekday/weekend assumptions
Rank items by weekend contribution gap
Apply one pricing or process action per weak item
Align menu/POS/online wording before rollout
Review 14-day contribution and complaint signals

Community Signal

Australian discussions on surcharges show a clear pattern: backlash is strongest when pricing changes feel hidden. Transparent wording reduces friction even when prices move.

Common Mistakes

One blended labour number for all days
Weekend decision made from revenue only, not contribution
Surcharge text inconsistent across channels
Post-event review skipped after rollout

KitchenCost helps operators model contribution by item and by shift so pricing changes are practical, not reactive.

Sources (checked on 2026-02-14)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I separate weekday and weekend contribution?

Because labour intensity and staffing cost can differ sharply by shift, so blended averages can hide weak-margin periods.

Do I always need a weekend surcharge?

Not always. Some venues use surcharge, others use selective item repricing, and many use a hybrid. The key is contribution recovery.

What baseline wage number should I start from?

Fair Work's National Minimum Wage benchmark is AUD 24.95 per hour from 1 July 2025, then adjust for your actual award setup and on-costs.

How often should I run this template?

Weekly for top sellers and monthly for full-menu review is a practical cadence for most small operators.

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