Free tool

Food cost calculator

Three quick numbers every kitchen should know: what a plate costs as a percent of its price, what you should charge, and what an ingredient really costs after trim.

1. Plate food cost

Plate cost ($)

Menu price ($)

Target food cost (%)

–Food cost %

–Left on the plate

–Price at your target

2. Usable cost after yield

Price you pay per unit ($)

Usable yield (%)

–Real cost per usable unit

–Hidden cost per unit

Example: spinach at 90% yield.

3. Kitchen food cost (one period)

Beginning inventory ($)

Purchases ($)

Ending inventory ($)

Food sales ($)

–Food used

–Kitchen food cost %

Use food sales only, not alcohol.

The formulas

Plate food cost % = plate cost ÷ menu price
Menu price at your target = plate cost ÷ target food cost %
Usable cost = price paid ÷ usable yield %
Kitchen food cost % = (beginning inventory + purchases − ending inventory) ÷ food sales

Numbers shown are examples. Check your own invoices, yields and portions before you change a menu price.

Free spreadsheet + early access

Want this for every plate? ChefYield is an app that costs every plate, suggests the price for the margin you set, and ranks your menu by what each dish earns. It's coming to iPhone and iPad first (waiting on App Store approval), with Android on Google Play later. Join the early-access list and get our free plate-costing spreadsheet now, plus our founding-member offer: 50% off the monthly Pro or Elite plan for your first 3 months at launch. On Android? Choose Android and we'll email you the day it lands on Google Play.

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