What food cost percentages are normal in hospitality?
Food cost percentages should fall between 25-35% depending on your restaurant concept. Many operators accept 35-40% thinking it's normal, but they're actually losing significant profit through poor cost control.
Food cost percentages should fall between 25-35% depending on your restaurant concept. Many operators accept 35-40% thinking it's normal, but they're actually losing significant profit through poor cost control.
A 6% reduction in food cost percentage equals €30,000 extra profit annually for a €500,000 restaurant. Most operators think 35-40% food cost is acceptable, but they're bleeding money without realizing it. Food cost percentages should fall between 25-35% depending on your concept.
Standard food cost percentages by type of business
Food cost varies dramatically between restaurant concepts. A pizzeria operates on completely different margins than fine dining. Each type should target different ranges:
💡 Example:
A bistro sells a steak for €32.00 (incl. 9% VAT):
- Selling price excl. VAT: €29.36
- Ingredient costs: €9.50
- Food cost: (€9.50 / €29.36) × 100 = 32.4%
This falls within the standard range for bistros (25-32%).
- Fine dining: 28-35% - Premium ingredients, elaborate garnish
- Casual dining: 28-35% - Similar to fine dining margins
- Bistro/brasserie: 25-32% - Streamlined prep, minimal garnish
- Fast casual: 25-30% - Volume purchasing, controlled portions
- Pizzeria: 20-28% - Inexpensive base ingredients (flour, cheese, tomato)
- Café food: 25-35% - Mixed quality, often pre-made items
- Delivery: 28-35% - Packaging costs included
Why these differences exist
Several factors drive the variation in food cost percentages across concepts:
💡 Example pizzeria vs. fine dining:
Margherita pizza vs. Sea bass fillet:
- Pizza: €2.50 ingredients on €12.00 = 20.8% food cost
- Sea bass: €12.00 ingredients on €38.00 = 31.6% food cost
Pizza relies on cheap staples, while sea bass requires fresh fish plus complex garnish.
- Ingredient costs: Fresh seafood costs significantly more than flour and tomatoes
- Preparation complexity: Intricate dishes require more components
- Waste factor: Whole fish yields 40-50% loss, pizza ingredients have minimal waste
- Price positioning: Fine dining commands premium pricing
Something most kitchen managers discover too late is that small portion creep — just 10% extra per plate — can push food costs from 30% to 33% without anyone noticing.
What to do if your food cost is too high
Anything above 35% typically signals profit problems. You can fix it with these steps:
⚠️ Note:
40% food cost leaves only 60% for labor, rent, utilities and profit. That's usually insufficient for sustainable operations.
- Audit portion sizes: Are you serving more than necessary?
- Update pricing calculations: Have supplier costs increased?
- Factor in waste: Include trim loss and spoilage in your costs
- Focus on volume drivers: Start with your highest-selling items
💡 Example improvement:
Restaurant with €500,000 annual turnover reduces food cost from 38% to 32%:
- Difference: 6 percentage points
- Savings: 0.06 × €500,000 = €30,000 per year
That's €2,500 additional monthly profit through tighter controls.
How to track your food cost
Many operators guess at their food costs, which leads to costly mistakes. You need a systematic approach:
- Weekly analysis: Monitor your top 5 revenue-generating dishes
- Include everything: Don't forget garnish, sauces, cooking oils
- Calculate excluding VAT: Use net selling price for accurate percentages
- Stay current: Supplier prices change frequently
Food cost calculators help you track costs per dish accurately and alert you to price changes from suppliers.
How do you calculate your food cost percentage?
Collect all ingredient costs
Add up what all ingredients for one portion cost. Don't forget garnish, sauces, oil and decoration. These are often the forgotten costs that make your food cost higher than you think.
Determine your selling price excluding VAT
The price on your menu is including VAT. Divide by 1.09 for 9% VAT. For example: €32.00 incl. VAT becomes €29.36 excl. VAT.
Calculate the food cost percentage
Use the formula: (Ingredient costs / Selling price excl. VAT) × 100. A result between 25-35% is healthy for most restaurants.
✨ Pro tip
Calculate food costs every Thursday after your midweek inventory count. This 48-hour window gives you accurate data without weekend rush distortions affecting your numbers.
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 is a good food cost for my restaurant?
That depends on your concept. Fine dining and casual dining typically run 28-35%, bistros 25-32%, and pizzerias 20-28%. Above 35% makes profitability challenging.
Should I include VAT in my food cost calculation?
No, always use the selling price excluding VAT. Your menu price includes 9% VAT, so divide by 1.09 to get the net price for calculations.
How often should I check my food cost?
Monitor your top 5 dishes weekly minimum. Supplier prices fluctuate regularly, so monthly reviews of your full menu are essential.
Why do pizzerias have lower food cost than restaurants?
Pizza uses inexpensive base ingredients like flour, cheese and tomato sauce. Restaurants typically use costlier proteins like fresh meat and fish, plus more elaborate garnishes.
What if my food cost exceeds 40%?
You're likely losing money on those dishes. Immediately check portion sizes, recalculate with current supplier prices, and consider menu price adjustments or recipe modifications.
How do I calculate food cost for dishes with complex sauces?
Break down each component separately — proteins, vegetables, sauces, garnishes. Many operators forget expensive sauce ingredients like wine, cream, or truffle oil that can add 2-3% to total food cost.
📚 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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