Food cost calculator for restaurants
How it works
Food cost % is the ingredient cost of one plate divided by its selling price before GST, times 100. List what goes into one plate below and the calculator works out the plate cost, food cost % and profit per plate.
Paneer butter masala (1 plate)
Example quantities and prices — replace them with your own recipe and supplier rates.
| Ingredient | Used per plate | Purchase price | Cost | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ₹60.00 | ||||
| ₹11.00 | ||||
| ₹6.60 | ||||
| ₹8.00 | ||||
| ₹2.80 | ||||
| ₹13.50 | ||||
| ₹6.00 | ||||
| ₹2.40 |
Use a dot for decimals (12.5). Commas are read as thousands (1,250) unless followed by one or two digits (12,5 = 12.5).
- Plate cost
- ₹110.30
- Food cost
- 34.5%
- Gross profit per plate
- ₹209.70
How to use the number
- Compare dishes against each other: the ones with the highest food cost % deserve a price or recipe review first.
- Recalculate when a supplier changes a price — small rises across many ingredients add up.
- Track the same dish over time. A rising food cost on an unchanged recipe usually means prices or portions have drifted.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I include GST in the selling price?
- No. Use the menu price before GST. GST is collected for the government, so including it would make your food cost look lower than it really is.
- What about wastage and trimming?
- Enter the quantity you actually use up per plate, including what is trimmed or wasted while preparing it. If you lose a quarter of an onion to peeling, count the whole onion.
- How often should I recalculate?
- Whenever a supplier changes a price or you change a recipe, and at least when you review your menu prices. Small price rises across many ingredients add up quickly.
- Should I calculate per plate or per batch?
- Per plate. If you cook in batches, divide the batch quantities by the number of plates the batch serves and enter the per-plate amounts.
- Can HostAir work this out automatically?
- Yes. In HostAir you set up each dish’s recipe once; stock is deducted automatically as dishes sell, and the cost-of-goods report shows the food cost per menu item using your average purchase cost.
Related
Free visit
Book a free visit to your outlet
Our team in Jodhpur, Jaipur and Udaipur will show you HostAir at your outlet and set it up on go-live day, at no setup cost. 24×7 support on WhatsApp, phone and email.