Restaurants, hotels and travel
Table turns
How many times each table is used by a new group in a meal period or day.
Last reviewedWhat does Table turns mean?
Table turns (or table turnover) is the number of seated groups served divided by the number of tables, over a meal period or a day. More turns means more covers from the same space, rent and kitchen. Example: a restaurant with 20 tables serves 50 groups at dinner, so it turns each table 2.5 times. With an average spend of 60 per group, lifting turns to 3.0 adds 10 groups and 600 of sales a night without adding a table. Faster service, online booking and matching table sizes to group sizes raise turns, but rushing guests can hurt the experience.
Where does it come up in case interview prep?
Related terms
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- BottleneckThe slowest step, which limits the output of the whole process.
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- Same-store sales (comparable sales)The US name for like-for-like sales: growth at restaurants or stores open in both periods.
- Average unit volume (AUV)Average yearly sales per restaurant or store.
- Franchise royaltyThe ongoing fee a franchisee pays the brand, usually a percentage of sales.