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Food cost calculator: food cost percentage and menu price
The short answer
Food cost percentage is the cost of a dish’s ingredients divided by its menu price. A dish costing $4.50 to plate that sells for $16 has a 28.1% food cost. To find a price, divide the plate cost by your target: at 30%, that’s $4.50 ÷ 0.30, or $15.00. Pick the target that fits your own costs.
Enter what a plate costs you. You’ll see your food cost percentage now, and the price that would hit your target.
Food cost
28.1%
- Menu price for your target
- $15.00
- Left after food, at this price
- $11.50
How it works
- Food cost % = plate cost ÷ menu price × 100.
- Menu price = plate cost ÷ (target % ÷ 100).
- Left after food = menu price − plate cost.
| Target food cost | Menu price |
|---|---|
| 25% | $20.00 |
| 28% | $17.86 |
| 30% | $16.67 |
| 33% | $15.15 |
| 35% | $14.29 |
Getting the plate cost right
Add every ingredient at the amount used, plus sauces, garnish and what’s lost in trimming and cooking. Update it when your supplier’s prices change. Food cost is one number: check that labor and rent still leave you a profit with the break-even calculator.
Common questions
How do you calculate food cost percentage?
How do I price a menu item?
What’s a good food cost percentage?
How do I work out food cost for the whole restaurant?
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