Restaurant food cost calculator
Enter your plate cost, menu price and a target food cost to see where a dish stands — and what you'd need to charge to hit your target. The single biggest lever on the result is your input cost, which is exactly where transparent wholesale pricing helps.
Food cost
28.1%
Gross margin
$11.50(72%)
Price for 28% target
$16.07
Above target — your food cost is over 28%.
Food cost % = plate cost ÷ menu price. Most full-service NYC restaurants target 28–35%; quick service and high-volume concepts often run lower. Lower your plate cost by buying at transparent wholesale prices — the cheaper your inputs, the more menu-pricing room you have.
How to use food cost % in the UK
Food cost percentage tells you how much of each pound of sales goes to ingredients. In a high-rent market like the UK, controlling it is survival, not optimization. When the wholesale price of an ingredient jumps, a dish that was at 28% can quietly drift to 35% — and you won't see it unless you're watching the market.
That's the case for checking today's the UK wholesale prices against your recipes regularly, and for buying where the price is transparent.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good food cost percentage for a restaurant?
Most full-service restaurants target a food cost of 28–35%. Quick-service and high-volume concepts often run lower. The right number depends on your menu, labor model and location.
How do you calculate food cost percentage?
Food cost % = plate (portion) cost ÷ menu price × 100. If a dish costs you £4.50 to make and sells for £16, your food cost is 28.1%.
How do I lower my food cost?
Buy inputs at transparent wholesale prices, watch portion sizes, reduce waste, and re-price or re-engineer dishes whose food cost runs above target when ingredient prices spike.