Last month alone, hidden packaging costs ate into restaurant margins by an average of 4%. Many entrepreneurs skip including these expenses in their cost calculations, unknowingly bleeding money with every takeout order. Each container might seem trivial, but those €0.35 boxes add up fast.
Why include packaging costs?
Delivery and takeaway packaging isn't optional—it's as essential as your ingredients. That €0.35 box might look insignificant, but serve 100 portions weekly and you're spending €1,820 annually. You must build this into your selling price or watch your margins disappear.
⚠️ Note:
Packaging costs count toward your food cost percentage. A dish with 28% food cost can jump to 32% once you factor in the packaging.
Which packaging costs should you include?
Calculate everything that accompanies a single order:
- Main container or box
- Lid (if sold separately)
- Sauce containers
- Cutlery (plastic forks, spoons)
- Napkins
- Carry bags
- Closure stickers
Those tiny items matter too. A napkin runs €0.02, plastic fork €0.04. High volumes make these cents become euros quickly.
💡 Example packaging costs per order:
Pasta carbonara for delivery:
- Aluminum container: €0.28
- Cardboard lid: €0.12
- Sauce container (parmesan): €0.08
- Plastic fork: €0.04
- Napkin: €0.02
- Carry bag: €0.06
Total packaging: €0.60
Different types of packaging
Your packaging choice directly impacts costs:
- Plastic containers: €0.15 - €0.35 per unit
- Cardboard boxes: €0.25 - €0.50 per unit
- Aluminum containers: €0.20 - €0.40 per unit
- Sustainable packaging: €0.40 - €0.80 per unit
Sustainable options cost more upfront, but customers often pay premiums for eco-friendly choices. You can reflect this in your pricing strategy.
💡 Cost example per year:
Restaurant with 80 deliveries per week:
- Budget packaging (€0.35): €1,456 per year
- Sustainable packaging (€0.65): €2,704 per year
- Difference: €1,248 per year
That's €0.30 extra per order you need to recover.
Impact on your food cost percentage
Packaging expenses boost your total food cost. Build this into your cost calculations:
Updated food cost formula:
(Ingredient costs + Packaging costs) / Selling price excl. VAT × 100
💡 Food cost calculation with packaging:
Pasta carbonara €16.50 (incl. 9% VAT):
- Selling price excl. VAT: €15.14
- Ingredient costs: €4.20
- Packaging costs: €0.60
- Total costs: €4.80
Food cost: (€4.80 / €15.14) × 100 = 31.7%
How often you should check packaging prices
Packaging costs shift more frequently than you'd expect. Review purchase prices every 3 months minimum. Cardboard and plastic fluctuate heavily due to raw material volatility.
Suppliers often increase prices quietly. Miss these changes and your margins erode without warning. From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, operators who monitor packaging costs quarterly maintain 2-3% better margins than those who don't.
How do you calculate packaging costs per dish?
Make a list of all packaging
Write down what you use per order: container, lid, sauce containers, cutlery, napkins, bag. Also include small items like stickers and napkins.
Look up the purchase price per unit
Check your invoices or ask your supplier. Divide the total price by the number of units. A box of 500 containers for €140 = €0.28 per container.
Add up all packaging costs per dish
Sum all individual costs: container + lid + sauce container + cutlery + napkin + bag. This is your packaging cost price per portion.
Include packaging costs in your food cost
Use the formula: (Ingredients + Packaging) / Selling price excl. VAT × 100. This gives you your actual food cost percentage including packaging.
✨ Pro tip
Track your packaging spend over the next 30 days and divide by total delivery orders. If it exceeds 4% of your average order value, switch suppliers or adjust your delivery fee immediately.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
What does an average disposable container cost?
Plastic containers cost €0.15-€0.35, cardboard boxes €0.25-€0.50, aluminum containers €0.20-€0.40. Sustainable packaging runs €0.40-€0.80 per unit.
Can I pass packaging costs on to customers?
Yes, packaging costs are part of your cost structure and must be recovered through pricing. Many restaurants add €0.50-€1.00 for delivery/takeaway orders. Customers generally accept this as reasonable.
Which packaging costs do I often forget?
Small items like napkins (€0.02), plastic cutlery (€0.04), closure stickers (€0.01), and carry bags (€0.06). These seem insignificant but create substantial costs at high volumes.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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