What share of revenue should rent be for a restaurant?
Rent share = (annual rent + charges) ÷ net revenue. In the example used in these guides: €60,000 on €600,000, or 10%.
In brief
- Rent is fixed: if sales fall 20%, it goes from 10% to 12.5%.
- The sustainable rent is what is left after the other costs and the margin.
- Before signing: required daily sales and the OMI quotations for the area.
How much do sales need to be to support a given rent?
| Monthly rent | Annual revenue at which rent is 10% | Daily sales |
|---|---|---|
| €4,000 | €480,000 | €1,548 |
| €5,000 | €600,000 | €1,935 |
| €7,000 | €840,000 | €2,710 |
ACRA example calculation over 310 opening days. The 10% comes from the example income statement and is not a market average.
In shopping centers
Often the rent is the higher of a guaranteed minimum and a percentage of revenue. Example: a minimum of €60,000 or 8%. At €600,000 of revenue the minimum is paid; at €900,000, €72,000. For 2026, 75% of chains list shopping centers among their growth channels (Confimprese, Italy's association of retail and restaurant chains).
Before signing
- Rent per square meter compared with the OMI quotations (Italian Real Estate Market Observatory) for the area.
- Required daily sales, compared with actual foot traffic.
- Clauses: stepped rent, scheduled increases, term.
Frequently asked questions
How much should rent be as a share of a restaurant's revenue?
The share that is left after raw materials, labor, other costs and margin. In this guide's example: 10%.
Are building service charges included in the calculation?
Yes: rent plus all expenses borne by whoever operates the venue.
How can a restaurant owner tell whether a rent is in line with the area?
With the OMI quotations from the Agenzia delle Entrate (Italian Revenue Agency) and with the daily sales needed to support it.
Sources
- Rental quotations by area and property type: Agenzia delle Entrate, Osservatorio del Mercato Immobiliare (in Italian).
- The calculation examples are elaborations by AC Retail Advisory on hypothetical values, consistent with the example income statement in the food cost guide.
Updated October 9, 2026.
Author
Andrea Calistri, founder of AC Retail Advisory. I have 20 years of experience in food retail and the food industry and have opened more than 200 locations. I have run operations for restaurant networks, served as CEO in Italy, France and the Netherlands, and advised restaurant chains and food companies as a consultant.
Restaurant check-up
Where the restaurant loses margin, in euros.
For a complete read of the restaurant's numbers: restaurant check-up.
