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Food cost calculator

Work out your food cost percentage and gross profit per dish — and the menu price you'd need to hit a target food cost. All figures ex VAT.

Your dish

Editable — defaults are an example. All figures ex VAT.

Food cost % = ingredient cost ÷ menu price × 100. Most venues aim for roughly 28–35% on food — but a low % isn't automatically better: look at cash profit too. How food cost works →
This dish

32% food cost

Gross profit £6.80 per dish (68% margin).

  • Menu price (ex VAT)£10.00
  • Ingredient cost-£3.20
  • Gross profit£6.80

Enter a menu price to see your food cost percentage.

£10.67 ex VAT

To hit a 30% food cost at this ingredient cost. That's vs your current price.

Use this as a floor, then price for what the dish is worth. Menu pricing guide →

Estimates only, ex VAT. Food cost percentage varies by venue type; the 28–35% band is a rule of thumb, not a rule. When your till, menu and stock are one system, you can track plate cost against real sales automatically — see stock control and restaurant management software.

Stop guessing your margins

Run your venue on one platform that ties plate cost to real sales — and book a 20-minute demo to see it on your menu.