A tasting platter with different small bites is popular, but pricing is tricky. You have multiple ingredients in small quantities, different prep times and need to make sure you still make a profit. In this article you'll learn step-by-step how to set a fair and profitable price for your tasting platter.
Gather all ingredients and quantities
Start with a complete list of everything that goes on the platter. Write down the exact quantity per item. Many entrepreneurs forget small things like olive oil, spices or garnish.
💡 Example tasting platter:
- 3 slices of salami (30g): €1.20
- 2 pieces of cheese (40g): €1.80
- 5 olives: €0.60
- 1 scoop of tapenade (20g): €0.40
- 3 crackers: €0.30
- Garnish (arugula, cherry tomatoes): €0.50
Total ingredient costs: €4.80
Calculate labor costs per platter
A tasting platter takes time to assemble. Calculate how much time you spend putting together one platter, including garnishing and presentation.
⚠️ Note:
Many entrepreneurs forget the labor time for assembly. A nice platter easily takes 5-8 minutes per piece.
Calculate using your hourly rate for kitchen labor. Standard is €15-20 per hour including employer contributions.
- Time per platter: 6 minutes
- Kitchen hourly rate: €18/hour
- Labor costs: (6/60) × €18 = €1.80 per platter
Calculate the minimum selling price
Add ingredient and labor costs together. These are your direct costs. For a healthy margin, calculate with 65-70% total costs (food + labor + overhead).
💡 Minimum price calculation:
Direct costs: €4.80 + €1.80 = €6.60
At 65% total costs: €6.60 / 0.65 = €10.15 excl. VAT
Minimum menu price: €10.15 × 1.09 = €11.06 incl. VAT
Compare with market prices
Check what similar establishments charge for tasting platters. Is your calculated price far above the market? Then you need to look at cheaper ingredients or smaller portions.
Standard prices for tasting platters:
- Café/bistro: €8-12
- Restaurant: €12-18
- Wine bar: €14-20
Optimize your composition
If your price turns out too high, adjust your composition. Replace expensive ingredients with cheaper alternatives or reduce the portions.
💡 Optimization example:
Too expensive: 3 slices of salami (€1.20)
Replace with: 2 slices of salami + 1 slice of chorizo (€0.90)
Savings: €0.30 per platter
Other optimizations:
- Use seasonal ingredients (cheaper)
- Make your own tapenade instead of store-bought
- Buy cheese by the whole piece instead of pre-packaged
How do you calculate the price of a tasting platter?
Create an ingredient list with exact quantities
Write down everything that goes on the platter, including garnish, oil and spices. Weigh or measure the exact quantity per item and calculate the costs per platter.
Calculate labor costs for assembly
Measure how much time it takes to assemble one platter. Multiply this by your hourly rate for kitchen labor (€15-20/hour including employer contributions).
Calculate minimum selling price
Add ingredient and labor costs together. Divide by 0.65 for 65% total costs. Multiply by 1.09 for 9% VAT to get your minimum menu price.
✨ Pro tip
Assemble your tasting platter on a disposable board and weigh the total. That way you know exactly how much you're spending and can stay consistent.
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
Should I include shopping time in the price?
No, shopping time is usually calculated as overhead. Focus on the direct prep time for assembling the platter.
How often should I adjust my tasting platter prices?
Check every 3 months whether your purchasing prices still add up. Especially cheese and meat products can increase significantly in price.
Can I offer different sizes?
Yes, create a small platter for 1-2 people and a large one for 3-4 people. The cost per person usually decreases with larger platters.
What if my calculated price is too high for my target audience?
Adjust your composition: fewer expensive ingredients, smaller portions, or replace premium products with cheaper alternatives.
How do I make sure each platter looks the same?
Take a photo of the ideal platter and hang it in the kitchen. Note exact quantities per ingredient so everyone assembles it the same way.
📚 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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