Restaurant food cost calculator: from recipe to menu price
This food cost calculator turns a recipe into a plate cost and a menu price. List each ingredient with the price and size of the pack you buy, how much of it the recipe uses and how much of it is usable after trimming, and the tool works out the recipe cost, the cost per portion and the price you need to charge to hit a target food cost percentage.
It is built for restaurant owners, cloud kitchens, caterers, bakers and home food businesses who price by feel and want numbers. Mixed units are handled for you (kilograms against grams, tablespoons against millilitres), and everything runs in your browser; your recipes are not uploaded.
How to use the Food Cost Calculator
- Enter the dish name, how many portions the recipe makes and any other cost per portion such as packaging.
- For each ingredient enter the pack price, the pack size and unit, the usable percentage, and the amount and unit the recipe uses. Add rows as needed.
- Set your target food cost percentage. Read the plate cost and the menu price before tax.
- Optionally enter a tax rate to see the bill price, or your own menu price to see its real food cost percentage and profit.
- Compare the price table for other targets from 25% to 40%, then copy the summary.
Food Cost Calculator features
Pack-price costing
Cost is worked out from what you actually pay: pack price divided by pack size, in any weight, volume or count unit.
Trim and cooking loss
A usable percentage raises the effective cost of an ingredient: 80% usable means you pay for 1.25 kg to get 1 kg.
Price for a target
Menu price = plate cost ÷ target food cost %, with a table from 25% to 40% side by side.
Check your own price
Type the price on your menu to get its food cost percentage and gross profit per portion.
Tax shown separately
Tax is a plain editable rate added on top of the menu price, never assumed.
The formulas
Ingredient cost = (pack price ÷ pack size) × amount used ÷ usable fraction. Recipe cost is the sum of those. Cost per portion = recipe cost ÷ portions + other cost per portion. Food cost % = cost per portion ÷ menu price × 100, so the menu price for a target is cost per portion ÷ (target ÷ 100). Gross profit per portion is the price minus the plate cost.
Example: 4 portions cost ₹179 in ingredients, so the plate cost is ₹44.75. At a 30% target the menu price is 44.75 ÷ 0.30 = ₹149.17; at 35% it is ₹127.86. Food cost percentage ignores rent, labour and utilities, so a low food cost does not by itself mean a profitable restaurant.
| Target food cost | Price as a multiple of plate cost |
|---|---|
| 25% | 4.0× |
| 30% | 3.33× |
| 33% | 3.0× |
| 35% | 2.86× |
| 40% | 2.5× |
Choosing a target, and what the tool does not include
Many operators aim for roughly 28–35% food cost, but that range is a common rule of thumb, not a standard or a rule: a premium steakhouse, a pizzeria, a bar and a canteen run very different targets. Treat the target as your own number and compare it with your real figures from stock-takes, which include wastage, theft, comps and spoilage that a recipe card cannot see.
Menu prices are also shaped by competitors, location and psychology, so round to a sensible price point afterwards. To scale a recipe up or down first, use the recipe scaler; for mark-up on goods you resell, see the markup calculator.
Tax, prices and limits
Tax rules vary by country and change. In India, most restaurants charge GST on food at 5% without input tax credit, with other rates for some outlets and for hotel dining; confirm the current rate in the CBIC notifications or with your accountant before using it. Enter the rate in the tax field; the tool just adds it to your price. Whether you quote tax-inclusive prices or add tax on the bill is your decision and local law.
This is a costing aid, not accounting or tax advice. Ingredient prices change; re-check your pack prices regularly. Rounding to the paisa or cent can shift totals by a unit.
Food Cost Calculator FAQ
How do I calculate food cost percentage?
Divide the cost of the ingredients in one portion by the menu price and multiply by 100. A plate costing 45 that sells for 150 has a food cost of 30%.
How do I calculate the menu price from the plate cost?
Divide the plate cost by your target food cost as a decimal. For a plate cost of 44.75 and a 30% target, 44.75 ÷ 0.30 = 149.17.
What is a good food cost percentage?
Around 28–35% is often quoted as a rule of thumb for restaurants, but it depends on the concept, location and what else you spend on. Use your own target.
What does usable percentage mean?
It is the share of the purchased weight you can serve after peeling, trimming, bones or cooking loss. At 80% usable, 1 kg bought gives 800 g.
Does the calculator include labour and rent?
No. It covers ingredient and packaging cost only. Add labour, rent and overheads separately to find real profit.
Is GST included?
Only if you enter a tax rate. The default is 0%, and the tax is added on top of your menu price for display.