Plate cost calculator
Add each ingredient's cost per plate, add the labor to make it, and see what the dish really costs.
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- Results update as you type
Where each menu dollar goes.
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Includes a printable cost sheet for this dish and a pricing check at 28%, 30% and 32% food cost.
How to cost a recipe
A plate cost is everything it takes to put one dish in the window: the ingredients on the plate plus the labor to make it.
1. Cost each ingredient per plate
Take the price you paid, divide by the usable amount after trim and cooking loss, and multiply by the amount on the plate. A 6 oz portion of shrimp that costs $9 per usable pound is 6 ÷ 16 × $9 = $3.38.
2. Add labor
Multiply the hourly rate of whoever makes the dish by the minutes it takes per plate. A line cook at $18 an hour spending 4 minutes on a plate adds $1.20.
3. Price it
Divide your ingredient cost by your target food cost %. At a 30% target, a dish with $5.15 of ingredients should sell for about $17.17. Then check the margin after labor to see what the dish actually earns.
Frequently asked questions
Should labor be included in plate cost?
Food cost % is traditionally ingredients only, so you can compare it with industry numbers. Adding labor shows the true cost of the dish and which items earn their spot. This calculator shows both.
What is yield, and why does it matter?
Yield is the usable part of what you buy after trimming, peeling and cooking. If you cost a recipe on the raw purchase weight, every dish looks cheaper than it really is.
How often should I re-cost recipes?
Whenever a key ingredient price changes, and at least every quarter. Prices move faster than menus.
Stop doing this math by hand.
Culimise Inventory does it automatically from your counts, invoices and recipes.
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