Table turnover calculator.
Covers ÷ tables ÷ hours = turns. The number that decides whether you have a capacity problem (book more) or a flow problem (move faster).
For this service
Defaults assume a 50-cover dinner service in a 12-table café.
Turns per table
Turns tell you why a busy night didn't pay.
A full house with 1.2 turns is a different problem from a full house with 2.5 turns. Turns measure how many separate parties used each table during a service. It's the bridge between "we were busy" and "we made money."
The formula
Turns per table = total covers ÷ number of tablesTurns per hour = turns ÷ service hours
Typical ranges by format
Fine dining: 1.2-1.5 turns per service (long meals, deliberate pacing). Casual restaurant: 1.8-2.5 turns. Quick-service café: 3-5 turns. Bar: hard to compare — measure differently (covers per seat per hour).
What to do if turns are low
Two paths. Speed up the service (faster ordering, smaller menu, pre-bussed tables, signature dishes that come out fast). Or accept slower turns and raise average check (higher prices, wine pairings, dessert push). Trying both at once usually hurts both — pick the lane.
The trap of "always raise turns"
Faster turns at lower spend per cover often hurts total revenue. The math: 2 turns × €40 = €80 per table. 3 turns × €25 = €75. The slower model wins. Always multiply turns × spend before optimizing for one or the other.