How to calculate food cost per serving
Food cost per serving tells you whether a dish makes money. You need three things: quantities, prices and real yield.
Browse recipes1. Price each ingredient per unit
Divide the purchase price by the purchase quantity. A 25 kg sack of flour at 20.00 costs 0.0008 per gram.
2. Cost each recipe line
Multiply the quantity used by the unit price. 900 g flour × 0.0008 = 0.72.
3. Account for trim and cooking loss
If you buy 1 kg of onions and get 900 g after peeling, the usable cost per gram is 11% higher than the purchase price.
4. Divide by real yield
Total recipe cost ÷ portions actually served = cost per serving.
5. Compare with menu price
Food cost percentage = cost per serving ÷ menu price (before tax) × 100. Many kitchens aim for a target range and review dishes outside it.