WrenlatchFood cost & menu price calculator
Add what goes on the plate. You get the plate cost, your food cost percentage, and the price that hits your target. Nothing is sent anywhere; it all runs in your browser.
How food cost percentage works
Food cost % = plate cost ÷ menu price. If a burger costs you $3.22 in ingredients and sells for $15, your food cost is 21.5%. Most restaurants aim for 28% to 35%; fine dining and bars often run differently.
Price at your target = plate cost ÷ target %. At a 30% target, a $3.22 plate should sell for at least $10.75.
- Count everything on the plate: garnish, sauce, oil, the side, even the to-go container if it's included.
- Use usable yield, not purchase weight. A case of romaine loses outer leaves; ground beef loses fat. Divide by yield (for example 0.8) to get the true cost.
- Re-check when supplier prices move. A 10% jump on one protein can quietly push several dishes over target.
Cost your whole menu at once
The Restaurant Menu Costing Workbook (Excel and Google Sheets) keeps one ingredient price list and costs every dish from it. Change a supplier price and every plate updates, with a "price too low" flag on dishes over target. Includes a tip pool calculator.
See the workbook →Also free: Tip pool calculator.