What small businesses spend, as a share of turnover

The Australian Taxation Office publishes ranges for small businesses' main costs as a share of turnover, by industry and size. This page sets them out by industry and turnover band.

The ranges come from tax returns and activity statements of small businesses in each industry. The ATO publishes them so businesses can compare their own figures. This page reproduces them and is not connected with the ATO.

Restaurants

Industry: Restaurants

In Restaurants, the ATO's range for businesses with turnover of more than A$2,000,000 was 27% to 34% of turnover on labour in 2023-24.

See everything we hold on accommodation and food services.

The ATO's ranges for Restaurants, turnover of more than A$2,000,000, 2023-24Each cell is the ATO's range for that cost as a share of turnover. The table below gives the same figures.

Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

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onestepright, "What small businesses spend, as a share of turnover", updated October 2026, https://onestepright.com/small-business-cost-ratios#ratios-band. Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

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<a href="https://onestepright.com/small-business-cost-ratios#ratios-band"><img src="https://onestepright.com/embed/small-business-cost-ratios/ratios-band.png" alt="The ATO's ranges for Air conditioning, refrigeration and heating services, turnover of more than A$600,000, 2023-24. From onestepright.com. Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright." width="704" height="432" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a>
Cost ratios for Restaurants, by turnover band, 2023-24
Turnover (A$)Cost of sales (%)Labour (%)Rent (%)Motor vehicle (%)Total expenses (%)
65,000 to 500,00032 to 3918 to 3011 to 171 to 379 to 89
500,001 to 2,000,00032 to 3823 to 328 to 121 to 184 to 93
More than 2,000,00031 to 3627 to 346 to 90 to 188 to 94

Each cell is the ATO's range for that cost as a share of turnover.

Source: Australian Taxation Office, Small business benchmarks 2023-24. © Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia. Not endorsed by the ATO. Arranged by industry and turnover band by onestepright.

Set your own costs as a share of turnover beside your industry's range. A figure outside the range is a question to ask about your prices and costs.

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Small business cost ratios by industry · onestepright