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Plate Cost Calculator

Price the dish from the plate up.

Menu price = plate cost ÷ target food cost percentage. This calculator does that division honestly — including the little ingredients most people forget — then shows the margin each cover contributes, at both the exact target price and a rounded psychological price point, so you can see what the dish earns per month.

Why people use this

Chefs use it when supplier prices move and before any menu reprint: plate cost ÷ target food cost is the price floor, and the per-cover margin shows which dishes actually pay the rent. Caterers use it to quote per-head menus without guessing.

How it works

1. Enter the true ingredient cost per plate: protein, starch, vegetables, sauce, garnish, oil, breading — everything on the plate.
2. Set your target food cost % (30% is a common full-service target).
3. Read the target menu price, the .95 price-point version, and margin per plate.
4. Add covers per month to see what the dish contributes to overhead and profit.

Common questions

How do I price a menu item from its cost?

Divide the plate cost by your target food cost percentage. A $4.20 plate at a 30% target prices at $14.00. Never price by multiplying competitors' prices or gut feel — your cost structure is yours alone.

What ingredients do people forget when costing a plate?

Oil, butter, breading, spices, garnishes, sauce components, and the freebies — bread, chips, butter pats. These commonly add $0.50–$1.50 to a plate. Also fryer oil turnover and 5–10% cooking loss on proteins that shrink.

Should every dish hit the same food cost %?

No — mix matters. High-margin pasta dishes can run 20% to subsidize a 40% steak that sells the table. Manage the blended food cost across the menu, not each plate in isolation, and use this calculator on your ten best sellers first.

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