Sous Chef
Ember & Oak · Austin
Before good people leave
Run the labor cost. Then ask what they are great at, where they want to go, and what gets in their way.
- For hospitality operators
- $99 per location, per month
- No long-term contract
Make the labor cost visible
Loaded wages divided by revenue. A clear starting point for the staffing conversation.
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The conversation before the resignation
The strongest retention lever is knowing what people can do, want to learn, and need next before a notice lands.
- Find skills and certifications across the team.
- Make goals and availability visible to managers.
- Match people to the next role before opening another requisition.
See the cost. Keep the people who matter
Start with the number. Build the team that stays.
Join MAJC- For hospitality operators
- $99 per location, per month
- The graph is the moat
Labor cost calculator
See labor as a percent of revenue. Add headcount and hours if you want the implied hourly next to the BLS median for that role in your state.
Common: 12–20% covers FICA, unemployment, workers comp, basic benefits.
California min wage: $16.50/hr (2026)
Compare implied hourly to the BLS median
Labor cost
Labor as % of revenue
30.7%
Common target 28–32%. You are at 30.7%.
Tight, between 30 and 35%
- Raw wages
- $12,000.00
- Loaded wages (+15.0%)
- $13,800.00
- Revenue
- $45,000.00
- California min wage
- $16.50/hr
California min wage ($16.50/hr, 2026) is a reference. It does not enter this percent. Common full-service target is 28-32% of revenue for the same period. Median hourly is BLS OEWS May 2025 for Cooks, Restaurant.