Packaging costs can eat up 3-8% of your delivery order value right off the bat. Most restaurant owners overlook these expenses, bleeding money on every single order without realizing it. Here's how to properly account for packaging in your total food costs.
Why packaging costs matter more than you think
Delivery packaging essentially replaces your table service and dishwashing costs. But here's the catch - it gets added on top of your existing food costs. A dish with 30% food cost in-house can jump to 35-38% total cost once you factor in delivery packaging.
💡 Example:
Pasta carbonara for delivery:
- Ingredients: €5.10
- Packaging: €1.20
- Selling price: €18.50 (incl. 9% VAT = €16.97 excl.)
Total cost price: €6.30 = 37.1% of €16.97
Breaking down your packaging expenses
Every single item that leaves with an order needs to be counted:
- Primary containers: the main vessel holding your food
- Lids: usually sold separately from containers
- Utensils: disposable forks, knives, spoons
- Napkins: delivery standard, not optional
- Sauce cups: mayo, ketchup, dressing containers
- Carrier bags: paper or plastic for easy transport
- Sealing materials: stickers, labels, tape
⚠️ Watch out:
Those tiny costs add up fast. A €0.02 napkin becomes €20 monthly with just 1,000 orders - money you can't afford to miss in your calculations.
Crunching the numbers per dish
Suppliers typically sell packaging in bulk quantities. Break down box prices to get your per-unit costs.
💡 Example calculation:
Pasta containers (500-count box at €45.00):
- €45.00 ÷ 500 = €0.09 per container
- Matching lids (500 for €25.00) = €0.05 each
- Plastic fork = €0.03
- Napkin = €0.02
- Paper bag = €0.08
Total per portion: €0.27
Your new delivery cost formula
Delivery operations require an updated calculation:
Total cost price % = (Ingredients + Packaging) ÷ Selling price excl. VAT × 100
Most delivery-focused restaurants target 35-40% total cost price, compared to 28-35% for dine-in establishments. That 3-5% difference? That's your packaging speaking. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen too many operators miss this adjustment and wonder why their margins disappeared.
💡 Complete example:
Burger combo at €22.50 (incl. 9% VAT):
- Selling price excl. VAT: €22.50 ÷ 1.09 = €20.64
- Food ingredients: €6.80
- Packaging bundle: €1.45
- Combined cost: €8.25
Final percentage: €8.25 ÷ €20.64 × 100 = 40.0%
Factor in platform commissions
Third-party platforms like Deliveroo and Uber Eats take 15-30% commission. This doesn't affect your cost price directly, but it hammers your actual revenue. With a 25% commission, you're only keeping 75% of each order's value.
- Gross order: €22.50
- Platform cut (25%): €5.63
- Your revenue: €16.87
- Total costs: €8.25
- Net profit: €8.62
So you're pocketing €8.62 from that €22.50 order - a 38.3% net margin that's actually workable for delivery.
Customize packaging costs by menu item
Different dishes need different packaging approaches:
- Soups: leak-proof containers (pricier) plus spoons
- Salads: large bowls + separate dressing cups + forks
- Pizzas: sturdy cardboard boxes
- Hot entrées: insulated containers + full cutlery sets
- Desserts: smaller containers, minimal utensils
⚠️ Watch out:
Pizza boxes look simple but often cost €0.40-€0.60 each. That's actually more expensive than complete pasta packaging setups.
Build packaging into your recipe costing
Treat packaging like any other recipe ingredient. This gives you instant visibility into true cost per dish, packaging included.
Systems like tools like KitchenNmbrs let you add packaging materials as recipe components with accurate per-unit pricing. Your total cost calculations then happen automatically for every delivery item.
How do you calculate packaging costs in your food cost? (step by step)
Inventory all packaging materials
Lay out one complete order with all packaging: container, lid, cutlery, napkin, sauce container, bag. Count what you need per dish and note the purchase prices per item.
Calculate cost price per packaging item
Divide the purchase price by the number of pieces. For example: €45 for 500 containers = €0.09 per container. Add up all items for the total packaging costs per portion.
Add packaging costs to your food cost
Add ingredient costs and packaging costs together. Divide this by your selling price excl. VAT and multiply by 100 for your total cost price percentage. Aim for a maximum of 40% for delivery meals.
✨ Pro tip
Calculate packaging costs on your top 10 delivery items every 90 days - supplier prices fluctuate and small increases compound quickly across thousands of orders.
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 track packaging costs separately or add them to food cost?
Combine them into one total cost percentage. This gives you immediate visibility into whether each delivery dish actually makes money, with all real costs included.
What total cost percentage should I target for delivery orders?
Aim for 35-40% total cost (ingredients plus packaging) on delivery items. This runs higher than dine-in food costs since packaging replaces some traditional service elements.
Do I need different packaging calculations for each menu item?
Absolutely - soup requires expensive leak-proof containers while salads use cheaper bowls. Calculate actual packaging costs per dish type for accurate margins.
How should I handle complimentary sauce packets?
Build average sauce costs into your base packaging calculation. If 30% of customers request extra mayo, add 30% of a sauce cup cost to every order's packaging total.
Can I offset packaging costs by raising delivery menu prices?
Yes, most customers expect delivery premiums of €0.50-€1.50 per item. They understand delivery involves extra service and materials compared to dine-in orders.
What's the biggest packaging cost mistake delivery restaurants make?
Forgetting small items like napkins, stirrers, and condiment packets. These seem insignificant but can add €0.15-€0.25 per order when properly calculated.
Should I buy packaging in bulk to reduce per-unit costs?
Bulk purchasing can cut packaging costs by 20-30%, but balance this against cash flow and storage space. Start with 2-3 month supplies rather than massive orders.
📚 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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