Master Ingredient Costs With Hotel Management Software 2026

Key takeaways

• Manual invoice entry and spreadsheet-based costing absorb time, introduce errors, and hide the real impact of changing ingredient prices on profit.
• Automated invoice capture and price alerts create real-time visibility on supplier costs, which supports faster decisions and stronger negotiations.
• Live dish costing, linked directly to updated ingredient prices, helps chefs keep food cost percentages within target ranges and protect margins.
• Integrated financial dashboards and accounting connections reduce bookkeeping effort and give owners current data instead of delayed monthly reports.
• Jelly automates invoices, costing, and insights for UK restaurants, pubs, and boutique hotels in 2026, so you can control costs with less admin; book a chat with Jelly to see it in action.

Why does Manual Invoice and Cost Management Erode Hospitality Profitability?

Manual invoice processing and spreadsheet reconciliation consume valuable staff time and limit visibility. Many UK hospitality venues spend 10 to 20 hours a month on admin, yet still rely on delayed accountant reports to understand performance.

The lack of timely data makes it hard to react when supplier prices move. Kitchen teams often spend up to 28 minutes costing a single dish, and small errors in unit conversions or ingredient prices build up across the menu. Food cost percentages frequently drift above the benchmark range of 28 to 35%, but operators do not always see the cause until margins have already fallen.

Cost pressure continues across the UK market. Food inflation in the UK was projected to rise up to 4.9% in 2025, and many venues carried those increases into 2026. At the same time, the sector still offers growth potential, with the UK restaurant industry expected to reach 144.5 billion dollars by 2030. Operators that control costs with real-time data are better placed to benefit from that growth.

How Jelly Improves Cost Control for Hotels, Pubs, and Restaurants

Jelly provides a focused way for growing restaurants, pubs, and boutique hotels in the UK to manage food and beverage costs. The platform automates invoices, supports inventory visibility, and tracks live menu profitability, without a long or complex setup.

Invoice scanning converts each line item into structured data, including quantity, SKU, price, and tax. This creates an accurate base for cost analysis and price monitoring. Price alerts highlight movements in ingredient costs, and dish costing tools update menu margins as those prices change.

The interface is built for busy kitchens and back-office teams. Navigation is simple, and core actions such as scanning invoices, building recipes, and reviewing flash reports sit in clear menus. Even less tech-confident chefs can review margins and update recipes quickly. See how Jelly can automate your kitchen management and book a chat.

Step-by-step guide to managing invoices and costs with Jelly

Step 1: Automate invoice capture for real-time data

First, set suppliers to email invoices directly to the dedicated Jelly address or use the photo capture option for paper invoices. Each invoice then enters the system within roughly 24 hours, without manual data entry.

Jelly scans every line item and records the key details. This process creates a complete and accurate feed of your purchasing activity. Asking suppliers to whitelist the Jelly email address keeps this data flow reliable and reduces time spent chasing documents.

Step 2: Use price alerts for proactive cost management

The Price Alert dashboard gives a single view of ingredient price movements across all suppliers. Subtle changes that often go unnoticed in manual systems appear clearly, so operators can act before margins fall.

Jelly flags each increase and decrease, which supports evidence-based conversations with suppliers. Teams can challenge unexpected rises, request credit notes where needed, and consider switching products or suppliers when costs move outside acceptable ranges.

Step 3: Apply live dish costing to protect menu profitability

The Kitchen section and Cookbook feature allow chefs to build recipes from ingredients already captured through invoices. A process that previously took around 28 minutes per dish can fall to about 3 minutes with Jelly, because the system manages unit conversions and pulls in current prices automatically.

Dish cards show cost and margin figures with clear percentage indicators. When an ingredient price changes, Jelly updates recipe costs and gross profit for all linked dishes. Chefs can then adjust portions, swap ingredients, or change menu prices to keep food cost percentages within target.

Step 4: Use financial dashboards and accounting integration

The Flash Report provides daily, weekly, and monthly gross profit margin snapshots. This moves operators away from relying only on month-end accounts and toward ongoing monitoring.

The Insights Dashboard groups spending by supplier and category, which highlights where most purchasing budget goes and where bulk discounts or new terms might have the most impact. Accounting integrations allow one-click invoice export into compatible systems, cutting bookkeeping time while keeping ledgers accurate.

Measure the Benefits of Using Jelly for Hotel and Restaurant Cost Control

Venues using Jelly typically see a clear impact on both costs and workload. Food cost reductions of around 3% within the first three months are common, and some operators add roughly 2 percentage points to gross profit margin through tighter control of recipes and purchasing.

Automation also releases staff time. Replacing manual invoice entry and spreadsheet updates can save 10 to 20 hours each month, which teams can redirect toward menu development, service, or marketing.

Many operators describe a greater sense of control. Owners gain confidence from having consistent, accurate data, and chefs can see how each recipe performs. As Ruth Seggie from The Howard Arms put it: “Our accountant said we would be lucky to hit 60% gross profit. After using Jelly, we reached 80%. Now I sleep better knowing my costs are under control and can react instantly, not weeks later.”

Hotel Management Software Comparison: Jelly vs Manual Processes

Improve your kitchen’s profitability and take control of your costs with Jelly. Book a chat to see how automation works in your operation.

Conclusion: Build stronger margins with Jelly in 2026

Invoice and ingredient cost management now sit at the centre of financial health for UK restaurants, pubs, and boutique hotels. Rising input prices and tighter competition in 2026 leave little room for guesswork or delayed data.

Jelly offers a practical route from manual processes to automated, real-time insight. By scanning invoices, tracking price changes, updating dish costs, and linking with accounting tools, the platform helps operators save time and protect margins.

Take control of ingredient costs and invoices with Jelly and book a chat to explore how it can support your venue in 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hotel Management Software

Can Jelly integrate with an existing POS system to track sales data?

Jelly integrates with popular POS systems such as ePOSnow to import sales data automatically. This link supports Menu Engineering through the Sales Mix feature, which highlights dishes that combine strong sales with strong margins. Connecting real-time cost data from invoices with sales performance gives a full picture of menu profitability.

How quickly can venues expect to see value after implementing Jelly?

Most venues see clear value within the first week. Once suppliers send invoices to the dedicated Jelly email address or teams capture them by photo, the system starts generating price alerts, updated dish costs, and flash reports. Operators then gain immediate visibility on spend and margins, rather than waiting for month-end accounts.

How suitable is Jelly for chefs and managers who are not tech-savvy?

Jelly is designed for teams with mixed technical confidence. The layout focuses on a small number of core actions, such as scanning invoices, building recipes, and checking reports. Recipe creation involves selecting ingredients already in the system, so staff avoid complex data entry and can complete key tasks quickly.

How does Jelly support supplier negotiation?

The Price Alert feature records every ingredient price change and links it to specific invoices. This record gives operators clear evidence when they discuss terms with suppliers. Teams can show where prices have shifted, request credits when necessary, and explore alternatives with accurate comparisons.

What effect does Jelly have on existing accounting processes?

Jelly works alongside existing accounting tools rather than replacing them. The invoice export function sends clean, coded data into compatible accounting systems, which reduces manual entry while maintaining the detail that accountants need. This approach shortens bookkeeping cycles and improves the accuracy of financial reports.