Free tool · Sellers & food
Food & recipe cost calculator
Food cost percentage is the ingredient cost of a dish divided by its menu price. Enter what you pay for each ingredient and how much the recipe uses to get cost per portion and the price that hits your target food cost.
Ingredients
- $0.36
- $1.13
- $0.75
- $0.36
- $5.25
Use the same unit for pack quantity and quantity used (e.g. both in lb, or both in each).
Cost per portion
$0.65
Whole recipe: $7.85.
- Price for 30% food cost
- $2.18
- Food cost % at your price
- 21.8%
- Gross profit per portion
- $2.35
Formulas
- Ingredient cost = (Pack price ÷ Pack quantity) × Quantity used
- Cost per portion = Recipe cost ÷ Portions
- Menu price = Cost per portion ÷ Target food cost %
What food cost percentage should I aim for?
Many restaurants and cafés aim for roughly 25–35% food cost, but the right target depends on your model. Drinks like coffee usually run lower and subsidize dishes with expensive proteins; a bakery selling at farmers markets may accept a higher food cost because it has no rent.
What matters is that the gross profit per item, multiplied by realistic volume, pays for labor, packaging, rent and you.
Costing tips that prevent surprises
- Use the price you actually pay, including delivery, not the shelf price you remember.
- Account for yield: trimmed vegetables and cooked meat weigh less than what you bought.
- Include packaging, garnish and the small things (oil, salt, napkins) as a per-portion line.
- Re-cost your top sellers whenever a supplier raises prices.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate food cost percentage?
Divide the ingredient cost of a portion by its menu price and multiply by 100. A dish that costs $3 to make and sells for $10 has a 30% food cost.
How do you price a menu item from food cost?
Divide the cost per portion by your target food cost percentage. At a 30% target, a $3 portion should sell for $10.
What is a good food cost for a bakery?
Bakeries often run lower ingredient costs than restaurants on bread and pastries, but labor is heavy. Set a target that leaves enough gross profit per item to pay for baking time.