Cost Per Portion Calculator
Calculate food cost per portion, suggested menu price using food cost percentage, and gross margin for restaurant or catering pricing.
Results
What is it?
The Cost Per Portion Calculator uses the food cost percentage method: menu price = food cost / food cost %. For example, if an ingredient costs $5.63/portion and your target is 30% food cost, the menu price = $5.63 / 0.30 = $18.75. Adding labor and overhead gives the true cost basis for a fully-loaded pricing model.
How to use
Enter total ingredient cost for the batch, number of portions it yields, your target food cost percentage, labor cost for the batch, and overhead. The calculator shows the suggested menu price and breaks down the full cost per portion.
Example scenario
$45 ingredients, 8 portions, 30% food cost target, $15 labor, $5 overhead: Full cost/portion = $8.13. At 30% food cost: menu price = $27.08. Gross margin = 70%.
Pro tip
Industry benchmarks: food cost 28-32% for casual dining, 25-28% for fine dining, 20-25% for quick service. Labor typically adds another 25-35% of revenue. Your total prime cost (food + labor) should stay under 60-65% of revenue to remain profitable. Review costs quarterly as ingredient prices fluctuate seasonally.