Most restaurant owners think calculating food costs is just purchase price divided by portion size. But that's a costly mistake that ignores cooking loss - the weight reduction that happens during cooking. Your 200-gram steak becomes 160 grams after hitting the grill, yet many operators still price based on that original raw weight.
What is cooking loss?
Cooking loss is the weight reduction that occurs during cooking due to moisture evaporation. A 200-gram steak, for example, shrinks to 160 grams after cooking. You've lost 40 grams (20%) due to cooking loss.
💡 Example:
You buy beef tenderloin for €45 per kilo:
- Raw steak: 200 grams = €9.00
- After cooking: 160 grams
- Cooking loss: 20%
Actual cost price per 160g cooked steak: €9.00
Why account for cooking loss in your cost price?
If you only calculate based on raw weight, you're underestimating your actual costs. You buy 200 grams of meat for €9, but you serve 160 grams. That €9 needs to be recovered from those 160 grams, not 200 grams.
⚠️ Note:
Never calculate your selling price based on raw weight. Your guest receives the cooked weight on their plate.
Typical cooking loss per product
Different products lose varying percentages during cooking:
- Beef: 15-25% (depending on doneness)
- Pork: 20-30%
- Chicken: 20-25%
- Fish: 10-15%
- Ground meat: 25-35%
💡 Chicken example:
Chicken breast €12/kg, cooking loss 22%:
- Raw chicken breast: 180 grams = €2.16
- After cooking: 140 grams (22% loss)
- Cost price per 140g: €2.16
Actual price per kilo cooked chicken: €15.38/kg
Calculating actual cost price after cooking loss
The formula is straightforward: divide your purchase costs by the weight you actually serve. It's a pattern we see repeatedly in restaurant financials - operators who ignore this calculation consistently show inflated profit margins on paper.
Formula: Actual cost price = Purchase costs raw product / Weight after cooking
💡 Salmon example:
Salmon fillet €24/kg, 200g raw portion, cooking loss 12%:
- Purchase costs: 200g × €24 = €4.80
- Weight after cooking: 176g
- Cost price per served portion: €4.80
You serve 176g for €4.80 in costs
Impact on your food cost percentage
Cooking loss increases your actual food cost because you need to recover the same purchase costs from less product. With 20% cooking loss, your food cost effectively rises by 25%.
⚠️ Note:
20% cooking loss doesn't equal 20% higher food cost. It means you need to earn 25% more per served gram (100/80 = 1.25).
Practical tips for cooking loss
- Measure after: Weigh products before and after cooking to determine your own cooking loss
- Consistency: Train your kitchen staff to maintain the same doneness level
- Cooking method: Grilling causes more loss than poaching
- Update regularly: Check every quarter to verify your cooking losses still match
How do you calculate cooking loss in your cost price? (step by step)
Measure the cooking loss of your products
Weigh a portion before cooking and after cooking. Calculate the difference in percentages: ((raw weight - cooked weight) / raw weight) × 100. Do this for each main product you use.
Calculate the actual cost price per served portion
Take the purchase costs of your raw portion and divide by the actual weight that goes on the plate. These are your true ingredient costs for that portion.
Update your recipes with the actual cost price
Replace the cost price based on raw weight with the cost price based on cooked weight. Use these figures for your food cost calculation and pricing.
✨ Pro tip
Test cooking loss percentages on your 3 highest-volume protein dishes over the next 2 weeks. These items likely represent 60% of your protein costs, so getting these numbers right fixes most costing errors.
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 account for cooking loss in my food cost calculation?
Absolutely. If you don't, you'll underestimate your actual ingredient costs and your food cost percentage will be artificially low. You're buying more product than you're actually serving.
How do I determine the cooking loss of my products?
Measure it yourself by weighing products before and after cooking. Each product and cooking method produces different loss percentages. Online tables provide estimates, but your kitchen's results may vary significantly.
Does cooking loss also apply to vegetables?
Yes, but typically less than meat. Vegetables lose 5-15% through evaporation. Steamed vegetables have minimal loss, while roasted vegetables lose considerably more.
Should I track cooking loss separately from trimming loss?
Yes, that's more accurate for costing. Trimming loss happens during prep (bones, peels), cooking loss during the cooking process. Both increase your actual cost price, but occur at different stages.
How often should I update my cooking loss percentages?
Review quarterly or whenever you change cooking methods. A new chef might cook to different doneness levels, which directly affects your cooking loss percentages.
What's the difference between yield percentage and cooking loss?
Yield percentage includes all losses (trimming, cooking, portioning), while cooking loss only covers weight reduction during cooking. Yield percentage gives you the complete picture from purchase to plate.
Can I reduce cooking loss without affecting food quality?
Some methods help: sous vide cooking reduces moisture loss, proper resting lets juices redistribute, and avoiding overcooking prevents excessive shrinkage. But don't compromise food safety or taste for minimal savings.
📚 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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