food-cost-calculator

Food Cost Calculator

2 articles to help your business succeed

Calculate the true cost of every dish on your menu so you can set prices that protect your margins. Includes recipe costing methods and UK benchmarks.

💡Quick Tips for Food Cost Calculator

✓Cost every recipe using current supplier prices — include garnishes, oils, seasoning, and accompaniments
✓Update calculations monthly as supplier prices change
✓Target overall food cost of 28-35%, but allow individual items to range from 20% to 45% as part of your menu engineering
✓Account for waste and yield loss — 500g raw does not equal 500g cooked and plated

Featured Article

Restaurant owner calculating menu costs with ingredients and calculator on kitchen counter

04/02/2026•12 min read

Menu Cost Calculator: How to Calculate Your True Food Costs

You check the takings after a busy Friday. Solid sales. Good covers. Then you pay suppliers on Monday and wonder where all the money went. Your fish and chips sells well, but do you know what it actua...

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Restaurant Pricing Calculator: Set Menu Prices That Work

You've done the sums three times. The dish costs £4.80 to make. You're charging £12. That should leave plenty of margin, right? Then you check your bank balance at month end and wonder where all the m...

restaurant pricing menu pricing food cost calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate food cost percentage?

Divide total ingredient cost by menu selling price, multiply by 100. A dish costing £3.20 selling at £12.95 = 24.7% food cost. Track actual overall food cost by dividing total purchases by total food revenue.

What is a good food cost percentage for a UK restaurant?

Quick-service 25-30%, casual dining 28-35%, fine dining 30-38%. A well-engineered menu balances low-cost items (pasta at 20-25%) with premium items (proteins at 35-45%) to hit a blended target.

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