Setting precise food costs prevents profit leaks that drain thousands from your bottom line each month. Most restaurants guess at ingredient costs, unknowingly selling popular dishes at a loss. Recording exact ingredients and costs systematically reveals what each dish actually earns.
Gather all ingredients and quantities
Build a complete inventory of everything touching the plate. That includes the main proteins and sides, plus cooking oil, garnish herbs, and seasoning blends.
💡 Example: Pasta carbonara
- Pasta: 120 grams
- Bacon: 40 grams
- Eggs: 2 pieces
- Parmesan: 25 grams
- Olive oil: 5 ml
- Parsley: 2 grams
Those tiny ingredients add up across hundreds of portions.
Add ingredients to your system
Navigate to 'Ingredients' and input each item with current supplier pricing. The system converts everything to per-portion costs automatically.
- Input exact purchase prices from your supplier invoices
- Select proper units (kg, liter, pieces)
- Record supplier details for tracking
- Flag any allergens per ingredient
⚠️ Note:
Refresh purchase prices monthly. Suppliers increase costs quietly, throwing off your calculations completely.
Build the recipe with exact portions
Head to 'Recipes' and start a new entry. Input each ingredient with the precise amount used per single serving.
💡 Example calculation:
Pasta carbonara breakdown:
- Pasta (120g): €0.24
- Bacon (40g): €1.20
- Eggs (2 pieces): €0.40
- Parmesan (25g): €1.50
- Olive oil (5ml): €0.03
- Parsley (2g): €0.08
Total food cost: €3.45 per portion
Calculate your food cost percentage
The system computes your food cost percentage once you add a menu price. Use this formula: (Food cost / Selling price excl. VAT) × 100
- Input your planned menu price (with VAT included)
- The system strips out VAT automatically
- Food cost percentage appears instantly
- Target range sits between 28-35%
💡 Food cost check:
Food cost €3.45, menu price €14.50 (incl. 9% VAT):
- Selling price excl. VAT: €13.30
- Food cost: (€3.45 / €13.30) × 100 = 25.9%
That's solid profitability for this dish.
Test and refine your measurements
Prepare the dish multiple times and verify your portion sizes match reality. From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, actual usage often differs from initial estimates by 10-15%.
⚠️ Note:
Adjust recipe quantities in your system if portions change. Otherwise your food costs won't reflect actual kitchen usage.
Setting food cost for a new dish (step by step)
Create a complete ingredient list
Write down everything that goes into the dish: main ingredients, spices, oil, garnish. Measure the exact quantities per portion while cooking.
Enter ingredients with current prices
Go to 'Ingredients' in KitchenNmbrs and add each item with the price you pay your supplier. Choose the correct unit (kg, liter, pieces).
Create the recipe with portion quantities
Go to 'Recipes' and add each ingredient with the exact quantity per portion. KitchenNmbrs automatically calculates the total food cost.
Set your selling price and check the food cost
Enter your desired menu price. The app immediately shows your food cost percentage. Aim for 28-35% for a healthy margin.
Test and adjust where needed
Make the dish several times and check if your quantities are correct. Update the recipe if you use more or less than planned.
✨ Pro tip
Calculate food costs for your 3 highest-volume dishes within the next 48 hours. These items drive 60% of your profit margins, so getting them right immediately impacts your bottom line.
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
What if my food cost comes out above 35%?
You're losing money on that dish. Reduce portion sizes, source cheaper ingredients, or increase the menu price until food cost drops below 35%. Sometimes removing one expensive garnish fixes the whole equation.
How do I account for trimming loss with fresh products?
Divide the purchase price by your yield percentage. Whole salmon at €18/kg with 45% trimming loss becomes €18 ÷ 0.55 = €32.73/kg for usable fillet. Factor waste into every whole protein or vegetable.
Can I copy recipes and adjust them for variations?
Yes, duplicate existing recipes and modify the different ingredients. Perfect for creating 'vegetarian carbonara' from your original version. You only need to swap out the bacon and adjust quantities.
📚 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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