💰

Food Cost — Cost Per Serving & Menu Price

Calculate cost per serving, food cost %, and menu price from ingredient costs.

28–35%
Restaurant target
5–10%
Waste factor
Cost/serving
Total ÷ servings
Menu price
Cost ÷ target %

Calculate

Why This Recipe Matters

Why: Know your food cost for pricing and budgeting.

How: Total cost ÷ servings. Menu price = cost ÷ (target % / 100).

Sources:Restaurant OwnerNRN
28–35%: Typical target
Prime cost: Food + labor
Waste: Add 5–10%

📋 Quick Examples

How many portions?
For menu pricing

Ingredient Costs

Enter total cost per ingredient (full recipe/batch).

food_cost.out4 servings
# Results
total_cost = $6.50
cost_per_serving = $1.63
menu_price = $5.42
food_cost_pct = 30%

📊 Ingredient Costs

📊 Cost Breakdown

For educational and informational purposes only. Verify with a qualified professional.

Food cost % = (ingredient cost ÷ menu price) × 100. Restaurants target 28–35%. Cost per serving = total ÷ servings.

28–35%
Restaurant target
5–10%
Waste factor
Cost/serving
Total ÷ servings
Menu price
Cost ÷ target %

Key Takeaways

  • • Include oil, salt, garnishes
  • • Add 5–10% for waste
  • • Partial packages: cost ÷ yield
  • • Use same method across menu

FAQ

Good food cost %?

Full-service: 28–35%. Fast casual: 25–30%. Fine dining may run 35–40%.

Include labor?

Traditional food cost uses ingredients only. Prime cost includes labor.

Partial ingredients?

Divide package cost by total yield. Example: $4/lb cheese, 2 oz used = $0.50.

Waste and shrinkage?

Add 5–10% to ingredient costs for trim, spoilage, over-portioning.

Meal prep cost?

Enter total cost and servings to get cost per meal. Compare recipes.

Menu price from target %?

Menu price = cost per serving ÷ (target % / 100).

⚠️ Disclaimer: Estimates only. Actual costs vary. Not professional advice.

Sources

Restaurant OwnerNRN

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