Purchase weight versus serving weight can make or break your meat cost calculations. Most operators price dishes based on what they pay per kilo, ignoring the reality that bones, fat, and trim reduce your usable yield. You're left wondering why profits don't match projections.
What's the difference?
Purchase weight represents what hits your scale when deliveries arrive. You're paying for the complete cut - bones, excess fat, silverskin, and portions you'll never plate.
Serving weight reflects the clean, trimmed protein that customers actually eat. It's what remains after you've removed everything inedible.
💡 Example:
You buy a whole beef loin of 5 kg for €18 per kilo:
- Purchase weight: 5 kg × €18 = €90
- After boning and trimming: 3.5 kg ready-to-serve meat
- Cutting loss: 1.5 kg (30%)
Actual price per kilo ready-to-serve: €90 ÷ 3.5 kg = €25.71 per kilo
Why this difference matters
Calculate costs using purchase price (€18) while serving actual portions? You're hemorrhaging money on every plate. That 200-gram portion you think costs €3.60 actually runs €5.14.
From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, the operators who ignore yield calculations consistently run 3-5 points higher on food costs than their spreadsheets predict.
⚠️ Watch out:
Many kitchens calculate using the purchase price and forget about cutting loss. This can make your food cost appear 5-10 percentage points lower than it actually is.
Typical cutting loss by meat type
Waste percentages vary dramatically based on the cut and how your supplier processes it:
- Beef (whole cuts): 15-30% loss
- Pork (whole cuts): 20-25% loss
- Lamb (whole leg): 25-35% loss
- Chicken (whole): 35-45% loss
- Fish (whole): 40-60% loss
- Portioned meat (pre-cut): 5-10% loss
How do you calculate true cost per kilo?
Skip the guesswork. Use this formula:
True cost per kilo = Purchase price ÷ (Yield ÷ 100)
Yield equals 100% minus your cutting loss percentage.
💡 Example calculation:
Pork tenderloin at €24 per kilo, 20% cutting loss:
- Yield: 100% - 20% = 80%
- Actual price: €24 ÷ 0.80 = €30 per kilo
A 180 gram portion therefore costs €5.40 instead of €4.32.
Impact on your food cost
Ignore the purchase-to-serving weight gap and watch your margins evaporate. Your carefully planned 28% food cost becomes 33% without warning.
💡 Impact example:
250 gram steak on the menu for €32 (€29.36 excl. VAT):
- Using purchase price: 0.25 × €24 = €6 (20.4% food cost)
- Using actual price: 0.25 × €30 = €7.50 (25.5% food cost)
Difference: 5.1 percentage points higher food cost than you thought!
How to avoid this mistake?
Always calculate using true cost per kilo after factoring in waste. Test your yields 3-4 times per protein type, then apply those percentages consistently.
Tools like KitchenNmbrs automate these calculations once you input cutting loss percentages. The system adjusts recipe costs automatically.
How to calculate your actual meat costs? (step by step)
Measure the purchase weight and note the price
Weigh the meat as you receive it from your supplier. Note the total weight and the price per kilo you're paying.
Process the meat and weigh the serving-ready weight
Remove bones, fat, sinews and other inedible parts. Weigh what's left - this is your serving weight.
Calculate the cutting loss percentage
Cutting loss % = ((Purchase weight - Serving weight) ÷ Purchase weight) × 100. Use this percentage for future orders of the same product.
Calculate the actual price per kilo
Divide the purchase price by the yield: Actual price = Purchase price ÷ (Yield ÷ 100). Use this price in your cost price calculations.
✨ Pro tip
Track your yields for 2 weeks across all proteins - the variance between suppliers can shift your true costs by 8-12% even on identical cuts.
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
Do I need to measure this again for each piece of meat?
No, measure it a few times per meat type to determine an average cutting loss. Use this percentage for all future orders of the same product.
Does this also apply to pre-cut portioned meat?
With portioned meat, cutting loss is much smaller (5-10%), but there's always some loss from trimming and waste. Check this a few times to be sure.
What about bones I use for stock?
If you use bones for stock, factor in the value of them as a by-product. This lowers your actual meat costs because you're getting value from the 'waste'.
What if my supplier delivers different qualities?
Test the cutting loss for each quality separately. Grade A usually has less loss than Grade B, so the actual cost price differs too.
⚠️ EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Allergen Information — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj
The allergen information on this page is based on EU Regulation 1169/2011. Recipes and ingredients may vary by supplier. Always verify current allergen information with your supplier and communicate this correctly to your guests. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for allergic reactions.
In the UK, the FSA enforces allergen regulations under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
📚 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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