Portion Cost & Food Cost % Calculator
Turn a batch’s ingredient cost into a per-portion cost and, against your selling price, the food cost percentage every kitchen watches.
How it works
Cost per portion = batch cost ÷ portions · Food cost % = cost per portion ÷ menu price × 100
Food cost percentage is the single number restaurant operators track most: it is the ingredient cost of a dish expressed as a share of its selling price. Most full-service kitchens aim for 28–35%. A lower percentage means more of each dollar is left to cover labour, rent and profit, so both over-portioning and under-pricing show up here immediately.
Worked example
A batch costs $24 in ingredients and yields 8 portions, so each portion costs $3. Sold at $12, the food cost is 3 ÷ 12 = 25%, leaving $9 of gross profit before labour and overhead.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good food cost percentage?
Most full-service restaurants target 28–35%, though it varies: high-volume or beverage-led concepts can run lower, while premium-ingredient dishes run higher. The right number is the one that still leaves enough after labour and overhead to make a profit.
Does this include labour or overhead?
No — food cost percentage covers ingredients only. Labour, rent, utilities and packaging are separate cost lines. That is why a 30% food cost does not mean 70% profit; most of the rest is consumed by those other costs.
How do I lower a high food cost percentage?
Either reduce the portion cost (tighter portioning, cheaper substitutions, less waste, better supplier prices) or raise the menu price. Small portion-size changes often move the number more than people expect, since cost scales directly with quantity served.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.