Calculate your real food cost, compare your prices, and see exactly how much profit you're missing.
You're operating within a healthy profit range. Small optimisations could still unlock additional profit.
Using this free food cost calculator is straightforward. Start by entering each ingredient in your dish, including the amount you use, the package size, and the cost of that package. The calculator automatically works out the exact cost of each ingredient per serving.
Once you have entered all your ingredients, set your target food cost percentage — most restaurants aim for between 25% and 35% — and the calculator will show you the recommended selling price for your dish, your profit per portion, and your overall profit margin.
Food cost percentage is the ratio of the cost of ingredients to the selling price of a dish, expressed as a percentage. For example, if a dish costs £3.00 to make and you sell it for £10.00, your food cost percentage is 30%.
Most profitable restaurants maintain a food cost percentage between 28% and 35%. Fine dining establishments often run lower food costs (around 25-30%) while fast casual and takeaway businesses may run higher (30-38%). Understanding your food cost percentage is one of the most important steps in running a profitable food business.
Pricing your menu incorrectly is one of the most common reasons food businesses struggle to make a profit. Price too low and you lose money on every sale — even a busy restaurant can lose thousands of pounds per month from underpriced dishes. Price too high and you risk losing customers to competitors.
This calculator helps you find the right balance by calculating your exact ingredient costs and showing you what price you need to charge to hit your target profit margin. Use the interactive price slider to test different price points and see the impact on your monthly revenue in real time.
Yes, completely free. No account, no signup, no credit card required. Just open the page and start calculating.
There is no limit. You can add as many ingredients as your recipe requires. The calculator handles grams, kilograms, millilitres, litres, and whole units.
If you buy your ingredients from a supermarket rather than a wholesale supplier, your costs will typically be higher. Selecting Supermarket applies a 25% uplift to your total cost, and Mixed applies 15%, to give you a more accurate picture of your real food cost.
Yes. Set the number of portions in the Dish Settings section and the calculator will divide the total ingredient cost by the number of portions to give you the cost per serving.
Yes. The calculator works for any food business — restaurants, cafes, bakeries, takeaways, catering companies, food trucks, and home bakers. The same principles of food cost percentage apply across all food businesses.
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