Start with the usable ingredient.
Ingredient cost = pack cost × recipe quantity ÷ usable pack quantity.
Usable pack quantity = purchased quantity × yield percentage. Compatible units are converted before the calculation.
Back to Restaurant resourcesFREE TOOL
Food cost calculator
A clearer menu.01INGREDIENT AT A TIME
A great dish starts with good ingredients. A useful menu price starts with knowing what those ingredients cost.
Build a recipe, allow for preparation loss, and see the numbers per portion. Then explore a selling price around the ingredient margin you choose.
Calculate my marginsFree to use · USD · US customary and metric unitsBring the whole recipe into view—from the main ingredient to the small extras. The calculator helps you work out:
- Total ingredient cost of the recipe
- Cost for each portion you serve
- Markup and amount left after ingredients
- A menu-price estimate for your chosen margin
Use your latest supplier prices and measured recipe quantities. Every result is a planning estimate, with other operating costs still to consider.
FOOD COST CALCULATOR
Get to know the cost
behind every dish.
TAPLY RESTAURANT / FREE TOOL
Your recipe, by the numbers.
Restaurant · USD · Your working estimate
Work from a supplier pack, enter the usable amount in your recipe, then choose how many portions it makes. All recipe inputs stay in this tab; download your work before leaving.
Planning only. See the formulas and what is included.
THE METHOD BEHIND THE MENU
Know what each number means.
Ingredient margin and markup use different denominators. Both describe the recipe’s ingredients; neither is the restaurant’s net profit.
Give every serving its share.
Cost per portion = total ingredient cost ÷ portions made.
Include the garnish, dressing and other extras. Enter the complete batch and the number of portions it produces.
Explore your own target.
Estimated price = portion cost ÷ (1 − target ingredient margin).
For an illustrative $3.60 portion and a 70% target, $3.60 ÷ 0.30 = $12.00. This target is an example, not a recommendation.
Margin versus markup.
At a $12.00 price and $3.60 ingredient cost, $8.40 remains before other expenses. The ingredient margin is $8.40 ÷ $12.00 = 70%. The markup is $8.40 ÷ $3.60 ≈ 233.3%. Food cost is $3.60 ÷ $12.00 = 30%.
Labor, rent, utilities, tax, payment fees and other overhead are excluded. Check those costs before making a pricing decision.
Make the units agree.
Weight converts to weight, volume to volume, and counts to counts. The tool does not convert flour in cups into grams without a measured density. “US fl oz” is a liquid measure; “oz” is weight.
Record usable recipe quantities after trimming or preparation loss. For a $10 pack with 80% usable yield, using the whole usable amount still costs $10.
Method references: BCcampus food costing and NIST unit conversions.
A few useful details.
Is food cost percentage the same as profit margin?
No. Food cost percentage compares the ingredients in one portion with its selling price. The amount left after ingredients still needs to cover the other costs of running the business. It is not net profit.
Does this change the prices in my Taply POS?
No. This is a standalone planning tool. It does not connect to a merchant account, update menu prices or make transactions.
Where are my recipe details saved?
Recipe inputs stay in this open page. Reloading or leaving clears them. Save a CSV or use Print / PDF to keep a copy on your device. If you submit the entry form, only your email and the resource request are sent to Taply.
Can I mix US customary and metric units?
Yes, within the same measurement type. For example, buy in pounds and measure a recipe in grams. Weight, volume and counts are kept separate, and US liquid measures are used. Changing a unit does not change the number you entered; enter the matching quantity as well.
Can I use the calculator for a whole batch?
Yes. Enter the ingredients used in the complete batch and the number of portions it makes. The calculator divides the full ingredient cost by that portion count. Additional ingredients with zero purchase cost can be included, but the recipe needs a positive total cost to estimate a margin-based price.
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