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Recipe cost and food cost calculator

List ingredients with amount, price and package size, enter the yield and see the cost per portion, the food cost at your menu price and what to charge to hit your target.

Educational simulation. Not investment advice. Results are estimates based on the data you enter and do not replace advice from a qualified professional.

Reviewed on Nov 1, 2026

Example: a meat lasagna that yields 10 portions.

Ingredients

Waste factor: 1 for items with no waste; above 1 for items that lose peel, bone or trim.

Menu price

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—Cost per portion
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How much each ingredient adds to the cost

Cost of each ingredient in the whole recipe, including the waste factor, largest first.

Tap the chart to see the values.

Price: portion cost and what is left

Current price, price at the target food cost and price by markup, split into ingredient cost and gross margin.

Tap the chart to see the values.

Recipe costing sheet

Edible amount (used), waste factor, as-purchased amount and cost of each ingredient.

Next step

Take this page’s results to another calculator with the fields already filled in.

Take the portion cost to the full pricing calculator →See margin and markup of the current price →Find the restaurant’s break-even point →

The summary lists your inputs, results, formulas, assumptions and sources. The full report also includes the charts and interpretations, in color. In the print dialog, choose Save as PDF.

Method, assumptions and sources

Formulas

Item cost = amount used × waste factor × package price ÷ package size (same unit)
Recipe cost = Σ items × (1 + other costs %); cost per portion = recipe cost ÷ yield
Food cost % = portion cost ÷ price; price at target = cost ÷ target; price by markup = cost × markup

Assumptions and limits

  • Conversions: 1 lb = 16 oz = 453.6 g; 1 gal (US) = 128 fl oz = 3.785 L; 1 kg = 1,000 g; 1 dozen = 12 ct. Weight and volume are not converted into each other.
  • This is theoretical food cost (from the recipe). Actual monthly food cost from inventory counts is usually higher due to waste, portioning errors and spoilage.

Official sources and references

Frequently asked questions

What is food cost percentage?

It is the ingredient cost of a dish divided by its menu price. A 30% food cost means 30% of what the guest pays goes to food and 70% is left for other expenses and profit. Many restaurants run between 25% and 35%, depending on the concept.

How do I read the example result?

The 10-portion lasagna costs $27.76 ($26.44 in ingredients plus 5% other costs), or $2.78 per portion. At $9.50, food cost is 29.2%, just under the 30% target. To hit exactly 30%, the price would be $9.25; with a 3× markup, $8.33. Ground beef is the most expensive item at $10.48 in the recipe.

What is the waste factor?

It is the ratio between the weight you buy and the weight that actually goes into the recipe (as-purchased ÷ edible portion). If you buy 1.15 lb of onions to get 1 lb peeled, the factor is 1.15. Weigh items before and after prep a few times and use the average.

Which should I use: target food cost or markup?

Both lead to the same place: markup = 1 ÷ food cost. A 3× markup is a 33.3% food cost; a 30% food cost is a 3.33× markup. Use whichever feels natural and check the result against competitors’ prices.

Should packaging and delivery app fees go on the sheet?

Takeout packaging can be listed as an ingredient (e.g., “Container; 1 ct; 0.45; 1 ct; 1”). App fees and sales tax are percentages of the price and fit better in the pricing calculator, where you can take the portion cost.

How often should I update the costing?

Whenever an ingredient that weighs on the cost changes price, and at least every quarter. Proteins, cheese and produce move a lot; a 10% rise in the beef in the example adds about $0.10 to the portion cost.

What are the limits of this calculator?

It only covers ingredients and other costs as a percentage. Labor, rent, utilities, card fees and taxes are not part of food cost. To set the final menu price, also use the pricing and break-even calculators.

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Recipe costing and food cost percentage: what a dish costs and what to charge

A recipe costing sheet is a standardized recipe with the cost of each ingredient. It answers two questions: what one portion costs and whether the menu price covers it with room to spare. The key number is the food cost percentage: ingredient cost divided by menu price.

How to build it

For each ingredient, write down the amount used, the price paid and the package size. If the item loses weight in prep (peel, bone, trim), use the waste factor: as-purchased weight ÷ edible-portion weight. Item cost = amount × factor × price ÷ package size. Add the items, add a small percentage for spices, gas and minor waste, and divide by the yield.

Example

A 10-portion lasagna costs $26.44 in ingredients; with 5% other costs, $27.76, or $2.78 per portion. At $9.50 it runs a 29.2% food cost. For a 30% food cost, the price would be $9.25; with a 3× markup, $8.33.

Food costEquivalent markupPrice for a $3 cost
25%4.0×$12.00
30%3.33×$10.00
35%2.86×$8.57

Food cost is not profit

What is left after food cost has to pay labor, rent, utilities, card and delivery app fees and taxes, and only then profit. That is why the right target depends on the concept: pizza and pasta often run lower food cost, steak and seafood higher. Take the portion cost to the pricing calculator to include fees and fixed costs.