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Restaurant / Recipe Cost Calculator

Recipe Cost Calculator

US rates · checked 20 Oct 2026

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Ingredient 1
$

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Ingredient 2
$

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Ingredient 3
$

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Ingredient 4
$

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%

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Your own estimate, added to the ingredient total. Covers items too small to cost one by one. 0 to leave out.

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Count what you actually serve after cooking and trimming.

$

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%

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Your own goal: the share of the menu price you allow for ingredients.

Cost per portion
$3.39
$27.09batch cost
28.2%food cost at menu price
$11.29price at 30% food cost
$0menu price $12.00
  • Portion cost
  • Gross profit
Ingredient 1 · 4 of 5 at $22.00$17.60
Ingredient 2 · 2 of 20 at $12.00$1.20
Ingredient 3 · 27 of 13.5 at $2.50$5.00
Ingredient 4 · 1.5 of 3 at $4.00$2.00
Seasonings, oil and waste · 5% of $25.80+$1.29
Batch cost$27.09
Portions8
Cost per portion · batch cost ÷ portions$3.39
Menu price$12.00
Food cost percentage · portion cost ÷ menu price28.2%
Gross profit per portion$8.61
Menu price at 30% food cost · portion cost ÷ target$11.29

That is within your 30% target. Re-cost the recipe when supplier prices change.

See breakdown

How the recipe cost calculation works

Cost a recipe from its ingredients: what each pack costs, how much of it goes in, and how many portions the batch makes. Then see the food cost percentage at your menu price.

  1. Cost each ingredient

    Divide the pack price by the pack size, then multiply by the amount used, in the same unit. Chicken at $22 for 5 lb, using 4 lb: $22 ÷ 5 × 4 = $17.60.

  2. Add them up for the batch

    Chicken $17.60, rice $1.20, coconut milk $5.00 and onions $2.00 come to $25.80. A 5% allowance for spices, oil and waste adds $1.29, so the batch costs $27.09.

  3. Divide by the portions

    The batch serves 8, so each portion costs $27.09 ÷ 8 = $3.39.

  4. Check it against the menu price

    At $12 a plate, food cost is $3.39 ÷ $12 = 28.2%. To hit a 30% target exactly, the price would be $3.39 ÷ 0.30 = $11.29.

Worked example. A chicken curry for 8 uses 4 lb of a 5 lb, $22 pack of chicken ($17.60), 2 lb of a 20 lb, $12 bag of rice ($1.20), 27 oz of coconut milk at $2.50 per 13.5 oz can ($5.00) and 1.5 lb of a 3 lb, $4 bag of onions ($2.00). That is $25.80, or $27.09 with a 5% allowance, so each portion costs $3.39. At a $12 menu price the food cost is 28.2%, with $8.61 of gross profit per plate. At a 30% target the price would be $11.29.

Recipe Cost FAQ

How do I cost a recipe?

List every ingredient. For each one, divide the pack price by the pack size to get a unit cost, then multiply by the amount the recipe uses. Add them up for the batch cost and divide by the number of portions. $27.09 ÷ 8 portions = $3.39 per portion.

How do I calculate the cost per portion?

Cost per portion = batch cost ÷ portions served. Count the portions you actually plate after cooking and trimming, not the raw weight, so shrinkage is built in.

What units should I use?

Any unit, as long as the pack size and the amount used match: both in pounds, both in ounces, or both in each. If you buy by the pound and measure in ounces, convert first (1 lb = 16 oz).

What about salt, oil and spices?

They cost little per dish but add up. Either cost them like any other ingredient or add a small percentage allowance to the batch, as this calculator does. The allowance is your own estimate, not a standard.

What food cost percentage should a recipe have?

There is no official standard; it is your own goal. Start from your current food cost percentage and the profit you need after labor and rent. For context, US listed restaurant companies had a 32.24% gross margin in January 2026 (NYU Stern), but their cost of sales can include more than food, so it is not a food cost target.

How do I price a recipe from its cost?

Divide the cost per portion by your target food cost percentage. $3.39 ÷ 0.30 = $11.29. Round to a menu-friendly price and compare it with similar dishes nearby.

How often should I re-cost recipes?

Whenever a supplier price changes noticeably, and at least each time you reprint the menu. Plate costs that drift up quietly are a common reason the actual food cost runs higher than planned.

Sources: NYU Stern (Damodaran): Margins by sector, US, January 2026

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