Food Cost Calculator
Add your ingredients, set a selling price, and instantly see your food cost percentage, gross margin, and recommended pricing. Waste-adjusted for accuracy.
Food Cost Percentage
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Enter a selling price to see results
Total Ingredient Cost
€0.00
waste-adjusted
Gross Margin
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per dish sold
Recommended Selling Price
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at 30% food cost target
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Start free with CucinovoUnderstanding Food Cost Percentage
What is food cost percentage?
Food cost percentage measures how much of your menu price goes to ingredient costs. It is the single most important metric for restaurant profitability and home cooking budgets alike.
Food Cost % = (Total Ingredient Cost / Selling Price) × 100
Ideal food cost ranges
Tips for reducing food cost
Industry Benchmarks by Cuisine Type
Different cuisines have different food cost targets. Higher-protein menus (steakhouse, seafood) naturally run higher, while concepts with more starch and labour-heavy prep (pizza, catering) can achieve lower food costs.
These are industry averages. Your target depends on labour costs, rent, and profit margin goals.
Common Food Cost Mistakes
Ingredients like meat and vegetables have 10-30% unusable portions. If you cost a recipe using as-purchased weight, your real food cost is higher than you think.
Small overportioning compounds quickly across hundreds of servings. A 10% overpour on a high-cost ingredient can erase your margin.
Ingredient costs can fluctuate 15-20% seasonally. Costing with last quarter's prices leads to underpriced menu items.
Oils, spices, and garnishes add up to 2-5% of total food cost. These are easy to overlook but accumulate across every dish.
Food cost percentage should be based on what the customer actually pays (including tax where applicable), not just the base menu price.
Food Cost FAQ
What is a good food cost percentage?
Most restaurants target 28-32%. However, the right number depends on your concept. A fine dining restaurant with high labour costs might accept 35% food cost, while a fast-casual concept with minimal service should aim below 30%.
How often should I recalculate food costs?
Review monthly at minimum, or whenever supplier prices change significantly. Seasonal menu changes should always trigger a full recalculation. Use a tool like Cucinovo to automate this so costs update in real time.
What is the difference between food cost and prime cost?
Food cost covers ingredients only. Prime cost adds labour (wages, benefits, payroll taxes) to food cost. Most operators target a prime cost of 55-65% of revenue.
How do I lower my food cost without reducing quality?
Focus on waste reduction, seasonal sourcing, and cross-utilisation of ingredients across menu items. Standardised recipes with exact portions prevent overuse, and bulk-prepped sub-recipes (stocks, sauces) reduce per-portion cost.