Restaurant food cost & recipe costing calculator
Enter your ingredients, quantities and purchase prices to get the cost per portion, food cost in %, gross margin and recommended selling price. Excel export with formulas.
Knowing the exact cost of a dish is the foundation of restaurant profitability. This generator turns your ingredient list into a complete recipe sheet: cost per portion, food cost as a percentage, markup factor and recommended selling price based on your target margin.
How the cost is calculated
For each ingredient, the cost equals the quantity multiplied by the unit purchase price, adjusted for the waste rate (trim, scraps, cooking loss): cost = quantity × unit price ÷ (1 − waste %).
The total recipe cost is the sum of the ingredient costs. Divided by the number of portions, it gives the cost per unit (the food cost in euros).
The recommended pre-tax selling price is obtained by dividing the cost by your target food cost. A 30% target gives a markup factor of 3.33, for example. VAT (usually 10% for dine-in) is then added for the tax-inclusive price.
Use cases
- Setting the price of a new menu or dish
- Checking a dish's margin after a rise in ingredient prices
- Comparing several recipes to fine-tune the menu
- Preparing a management file or financial forecast
Frequently asked questions
What is a good food cost in a restaurant?
Food cost generally sits between 25% and 35% of the pre-tax selling price. Below 25%, the price may look high; above 35%, the margin becomes fragile once overheads are deducted.
Should labor be included in the recipe sheet?
No. The recipe sheet only covers the direct ingredient cost. Labor and fixed overheads are accounted for separately in the profit and loss statement.
How do I handle waste and trim?
Enter a waste rate for each ingredient. The generator automatically increases the quantity you actually need to buy to reach the net usable weight.