A portion card ensures that every plate looks the same and has the same food cost. Without fixed portions, your food cost per dish varies wildly, making profit unpredictable. Here's how to set up portion cards that keep your kitchen consistent and profitable.
What exactly is a portion card?
A portion card is an overview of the exact quantities of each ingredient per dish. It specifies how many grams of meat, how many milliliters of sauce, and how much garnish goes on each plate.
The goal: every cook makes the same dish, with the same food cost, no matter who's working that shift.
💡 Example:
Steak with fries and salad:
- Steak: 200 grams
- Fries: 180 grams (before cooking)
- Salad mix: 80 grams
- Dressing: 25 ml
- Butter on plate: 10 grams
Food cost per portion: €8.40
Why this matters for your bottom line
Without a portion card, your chef might use 250 grams of steak when you've calculated for 200 grams. You lose €2.50 per portion on meat alone. At 50 portions weekly, that costs you €6,500 annually.
Plus, the dish tastes different every time. One guest gets a generous portion, the next gets less. That damages your reputation faster than you'd think.
⚠️ Note:
A portion card isn't a recipe. The recipe tells you how to cook. The portion card tells you how much goes on the plate.
Gather all ingredients and prices
Start with one dish. Write down every ingredient that goes on the plate, including:
- Main ingredients (meat, fish, vegetables)
- Sides (fries, rice, pasta)
- Sauces and dressings
- Garnish and decoration
- Oil, butter, salt (that costs money too)
Look up the purchase prices for each ingredient. Calculate based on price per kilo or liter, not per package.
💡 Example:
Steak ingredients:
- Steak: €24.00 per kilo
- Frozen fries: €3.20 per kilo
- Salad mix: €8.00 per kilo
- Dressing: €6.40 per liter
- Butter: €12.00 per kilo
Measure and weigh everything precisely
Go to the kitchen and make the dish exactly how you normally serve it. Weigh each ingredient before you use it.
Use a digital kitchen scale that's accurate to the gram. For liquids, use a measuring cup. From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen too many restaurants fail because they eyeball portions instead of measuring them.
Write down the exact quantities. Don't round off — 180 grams is different from "about 200 grams".
Calculate the food cost per portion
For each ingredient, calculate: (quantity in grams ÷ 1000) × price per kilo
Add up all ingredient costs for the total food cost per portion.
💡 Example calculation:
- Steak 200g: (200÷1000) × €24.00 = €4.80
- Fries 180g: (180÷1000) × €3.20 = €0.58
- Salad 80g: (80÷1000) × €8.00 = €0.64
- Dressing 25ml: (25÷1000) × €6.40 = €0.16
- Butter 10g: (10÷1000) × €12.00 = €0.12
Total food cost: €6.30
Test and refine your portions
Have different cooks make the dish according to your portion card. Check whether:
- The plate looks consistent
- The portions match what guests expect
- The food cost falls within your target
Adjust portions if needed. Too small? Increase the main ingredient. Too expensive? Reduce the portion or choose cheaper ingredients.
⚠️ Note:
Update your portion cards whenever suppliers raise their prices. Otherwise your food cost calculations won't be accurate anymore.
Store digitally and share
Keep your portion cards digital so every team member can access them. Tools like KitchenNmbrs automatically calculate your food cost once you enter the portions.
Also print physical cards for the kitchen. Hang them where cooks can see them while plating.
Train your team to work consistently according to the portion card. Explain why this matters for your business's profitability.
How do you set up a portion card? (step by step)
Gather all ingredients and prices
Write down every ingredient that goes on the plate, including garnish, sauces, and oil. Look up the exact purchase prices per kilo or liter.
Measure and weigh everything precisely
Make the dish and weigh each ingredient with a digital scale. Write down the exact quantities in grams or milliliters.
Calculate the food cost per ingredient
For each ingredient, calculate: (quantity ÷ 1000) × price per kilo. Add up all ingredient costs for the total portion food cost.
Test and refine the portions
Have different cooks make the dish according to your card. Check consistency and adjust portions if the food cost is too high or low.
Store digitally and physically
Keep portion cards digital for updates and print physical versions for the kitchen. Train your team to work consistently according to the card.
✨ Pro tip
Audit your 3 highest-cost dishes every Friday by weighing 2 random plates before service. You'll catch portion creep within 72 hours instead of discovering it months later in your food cost reports.
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
How do I handle dishes with variable ingredients like seasonal vegetables?
Create separate portion cards for each seasonal variation, or use weight-based substitutions. For example, if you normally use 120g asparagus in spring, use 120g green beans in winter. Update your food costs accordingly since prices will differ.
What's the best way to train new kitchen staff on portion cards?
Have them practice plating 5 portions of each main dish while you check weights. Most new hires need about 2 weeks to consistently hit portion targets without measuring every ingredient.
Should portion cards include cooking loss for items like meat?
Yes, always account for cooking loss in your raw portions. A 200g cooked steak typically requires 240-250g raw weight depending on cooking method and desired doneness.
📚 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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