Restaurant Food Cost Calculator
Work out your food cost percentage for a period from opening and closing inventory, purchases and food sales, and for any single dish on the menu.
- Free
- No sign-up to try
- Works as you type
Restaurant food cost
Food cost percentage (period)
32.1%
Cost of food used
$22,500
Gross profit on food
$47,500
Dish food cost percentage
28.1%
- Cost of food used = opening inventory + purchases − closing inventory.
- Food cost percentage = cost of food used ÷ food sales × 100.
- Dish food cost percentage = dish ingredient cost ÷ dish price × 100.
Free, no sign-up to try. Save it as a live calculator you can share; an estimate from the numbers you enter, not financial advice. Check the result against your own records before you rely on it.
How it works
How the Restaurant Food Cost Calculator works
- 1
Enter your numbers
Every result updates as you type, with the formula shown under it.
- 2
Check the method
See how each number is worked out and what it assumes.
- 3
Save it as a Room
Share a live calculator: others can change the numbers and see the result update.
Worked example
What it makes
Example inputs
- Opening food inventory
- $8,000
- Food purchases in the period
- $22,000
- Closing food inventory
- $7,500
- Food sales in the period
- $70,000
- One dish: ingredient cost
- $3.8
- One dish: menu price
- $13.5
Results
- Food cost percentage (period)
- 32.1%
- Cost of food used
- $22,500
- Gross profit on food
- $47,500
- Dish food cost percentage
- 28.1%
How it's calculated
- Cost of food used = opening inventory + purchases − closing inventory.
- Food cost percentage = cost of food used ÷ food sales × 100.
- Dish food cost percentage = dish ingredient cost ÷ dish price × 100.
- Assumes: Inventory is counted at cost on the first and last day of the same period as sales.
- Assumes: Sales and prices are before tax; staff meals and comps are in the cost but earn nothing.
An estimate from the numbers you enter, not financial advice. Check the result against your own records before you rely on it.
Who it's for
Who uses it
Restaurant managers
Check food cost at each stock count.
Owners
Spot when food cost drifts above target.
Hospitality students
Practise the standard food cost formula.
Good to know
What to consider
- Count inventory at cost, on the first and last day of the same period as the sales figure.
- Waste, staff meals and comps all raise food cost without adding sales.
Questions
About the Restaurant Food Cost Calculator
Why is my period food cost higher than my dishes suggest?
Dish costs assume perfect portions and no waste. The period figure includes spoilage, over-portioning, staff meals and comps, so the gap shows where food is going.
Can I share the calculator with my team or a client?
Yes. The Room keeps the calculator live: anyone with the link can change the numbers and see the result update, with the method and assumptions on the same page.
Make your calculator now
Free, no sign-up to try. It becomes a Room you can edit, publish and share.
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Related tools
- Menu Pricing CalculatorFind the menu price that hits your target food cost percentage, and see the food cost and gross profit per plate at the price you plan to charge.
- Recipe Scaling CalculatorScale a recipe up or down to the number of servings you need: the scale factor and new amounts for your ingredients, in the units you use.
- Profit Margin CalculatorWork out gross margin, net profit and net margin from revenue and costs.