Ingredient Cost Per Serving Calculator
Divide a recipe’s total ingredient cost across its servings, then see the menu price a target food-cost percentage implies.
How it works
Cost per serving = total ingredient cost ÷ servings · Menu price = cost per serving ÷ (target food-cost % ÷ 100)
Cost per serving is the recipe’s ingredient total divided by how many portions it yields — the base number for pricing a dish or comparing home cooking to takeout. Restaurants price plates so ingredients are only a slice of the menu price; a 30% food-cost target means the plate sells for a little over three times its ingredient cost, leaving room for labour, rent and profit.
Worked example
A recipe costs $14.40 in ingredients and makes 4 servings, so each serving costs 14.40 ÷ 4 = $3.60. To keep ingredients at 30% of the menu price, sell each plate at 3.60 ÷ 0.30 = $12.00.
Frequently asked questions
What is a healthy food-cost percentage?
Most full-service restaurants aim for ingredient costs of 28–35% of the menu price. Lower is more profitable per plate but can hurt perceived value, while higher squeezes the margin left for labour and overhead.
Does this include labour and overhead?
No. This is ingredient cost only. The food-cost percentage is precisely the tool that leaves headroom for labour, utilities, rent and profit inside the final menu price.
How do I get an accurate total ingredient cost?
Price each ingredient by the amount the recipe actually uses — not the whole package — then add them up. A per-unit price calculator makes converting package prices to used amounts straightforward.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.