Built for Restaurant Owners & Food Entrepreneurs
Food Cost Calculator
How the food cost calculator works
Good to know
Biryani, rice & curries (batch cooking)
Enter the ingredients for the whole pot, then how many plates it gives — count them, or enter the cooked weight and your portion size.
Add 3–5% wastage for tasting, leftovers and spillage. Cost per plate = batch cost ÷ usable portions.
Trim and cleaning loss
Whole chicken to boneless is about 60–65% usable; onions lose about 10% to peeling. Enter the usable % and the calculator charges the real cost of what reaches the plate.
In-house sauces and marinades
Cost garlic sauce, mayo or marinade once as an in-house item. Add it to any recipe and its cost per gram loads automatically.
In-house Production calculatorWhat is a good food cost %?
- 28–35%: healthy for most restaurants and QSRs
- 35–45%: watch it — check portions and prices
- Above 45%: high — raise the price or rework the recipe
Food Cost Calculator — FAQs
What is this food cost calculator used for?
This food cost calculator is used to calculate the exact cost of a single menu item or recipe based on ingredients, quantity, and unit cost.
Can I add in-house production items as ingredients?
Yes. You can add in-house production items like sauces, mayonnaise, marinades, or gravies as ingredients. Their unit cost is automatically fetched from saved production data.
How does auto unit cost work for in-house items?
Once an in-house production item is saved, its unit cost is stored in the system. When you use it as an ingredient, the cost is auto-loaded, ensuring accurate and consistent food costing.
How do I cost biryani, rice or curry cooked in bulk?
Switch to “Batch / bulk cooking”. Enter the ingredients for the whole pot, then how many portions it makes — either the number of plates, or the cooked weight and your portion size. Add a wastage % for leftovers and tasting. The calculator divides the batch cost by the usable portions to give the real cost per plate, food cost % and a suggested price.
What should I include in food cost?
Include all edible ingredients used in the recipe such as raw materials, in-house prepared items, oil, sauces, spices, and unavoidable wastage.
Is this calculator suitable for beginner restaurant owners?
Yes. This tool is designed for beginners and working restaurant owners who want simple, practical food costing without Excel or accounting complexity.
Still have a question?