Most restaurant owners think they can eyeball the cost of a new dish – but that's a costly mistake. You need precise calculations for cost price, profitable selling price, and complete HACCP risk mapping. Here's how to do it right from day one.
Why precise calculations matter
Too many restaurant owners guess at dish costs. They forget ingredients, miscalculate quantities, or ignore trim loss. The result? You're selling at a loss without realizing it.
⚠️ Note:
A €2 error per dish at 100 portions per week costs you €10,400 per year in missed profit.
The complete cost price calculation
A true cost price includes every single ingredient that touches the plate:
- Main ingredients (meat, fish, vegetables)
- Side dishes and garnishes
- Sauces and dressings
- Oil, butter, salt, pepper
- Decoration and herbs
- Bread or other sides
? Example: Grilled salmon with vegetables
Ingredients per portion:
- Salmon fillet 180g: €5.40
- Vegetable mix 150g: €1.20
- Hollandaise sauce 50ml: €0.80
- New potatoes 200g: €0.60
- Oil, herbs, decoration: €0.45
Total cost price: €8.45
From cost price to selling price
Once you've got the cost price, calculate your minimum selling price for healthy margins. Use this formula:
Minimum selling price excl. VAT = Cost price / (Target food cost % / 100)
Most restaurants aim for 28-35% food cost. At 30% food cost:
? Selling price calculation:
Cost price: €8.45, target food cost: 30%
- Minimum price excl. VAT: €8.45 / 0.30 = €28.17
- Price incl. 9% VAT: €28.17 × 1.09 = €30.70
- Round to: €31.50
Actual food cost: €8.45 / €28.90 = 29.2%
Mapping HACCP risks
Every new dish creates specific food safety risks. You must identify these upfront:
- Temperature control: Which ingredients require refrigeration?
- Cooking temperature: Must the product reach 75°C core temperature?
- Shelf life: How long can you store the prepared dish?
- Cross-contamination: Which allergens are present?
⚠️ Note:
Fish and meat always require temperature monitoring during storage and cooking. Document this from the start.
Recording allergen information
For each new dish, check all 14 EU-mandated allergens. Examine every ingredient:
- Gluten (in bread, sauces, breadcrumbs)
- Fish (also in sauces like Worcestershire)
- Milk (in butter, cream, cheese)
- Eggs (in mayonnaise, pasta, breadcrumbs)
- All remaining allergens per ingredient
? Example allergens salmon:
Grilled salmon with hollandaise contains:
- Fish (salmon fillet)
- Eggs (hollandaise sauce)
- Milk (butter in hollandaise)
This information must be accessible for customer inquiries.
Digital registration setup
All this data needs recording and easy retrieval. Many kitchens still use paper lists, but digital offers clear advantages:
- Cost prices update automatically when supplier prices change
- Allergens transfer automatically to menus
- HACCP tasks link directly to specific dishes
- During inspections, you'll find everything instantly
A pattern we see repeatedly in restaurant financials is that operators using tools like KitchenNmbrs maintain more accurate food costs than those tracking manually. The system combines cost calculations, allergen registration, and HACCP tasks in one dish overview.
Testing and refinement
Before launching the dish officially:
- Test portion size: does calculated quantity match reality?
- Verify cooking time: does it fit your kitchen workflow?
- Check presentation: are all ingredients properly visible?
- Measure actual cost price after preparing 10 portions
Adjust quantities or selling price as needed before wide rollout.
Related articles
How do you fully calculate a new dish? (step by step)
Make a complete ingredient list
Write down all ingredients that go on the plate, including oil, herbs, and decoration. Determine the exact quantity per portion and look up current purchase prices from your suppliers.
Calculate the total cost price per portion
Add up all ingredient costs. Don't forget to include trim loss: at 20% loss, divide the purchase price by 0.80 to get the actual price per kilo.
Determine the selling price with desired margin
Divide the cost price by your desired food cost percentage (for example, 0.30 for 30%). Multiply by 1.09 for the price including 9% VAT and round to a logical menu price.
Identify all HACCP risk points
Determine which temperature controls are needed, what the maximum shelf life is, and which cooking temperatures are required. Create a checklist of critical control points for this dish.
Record all allergens per ingredient
Check each ingredient for the 14 EU-mandated allergens. Record which allergens are in the complete dish and make sure this information is available to your team and guests.
Test and refine before launch
Make the dish 5-10 times to check portion sizes and measure cooking time. Adjust quantities or price if needed before you officially add it to the menu.
✨ Pro tip
Calculate your new dish costs during a 48-hour test period with at least 15 portions served. This timeframe reveals actual ingredient usage, cooking losses, and portion consistency issues before full menu launch.
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 really need to count every ingredient, even salt and pepper?
How often should I recalculate cost prices?
What if my food cost exceeds 35%?
Can I skip HACCP registration for simple dishes?
How do I organize all this dish information efficiently?
What's the minimum core temperature for protein dishes?
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
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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