Moroccan dishes like tajine have a complex flavor profile with many different spices. Most restaurant owners underestimate spice costs, causing them to lose money without realizing it. You need to calculate the exact cost price of every tajine, including each spice and herb.
Why spice cost calculation gets overlooked
A single tajine uses 10-15 different spices and herbs. Each quantity looks small, but they add up fast. The problem: most kitchens only calculate main ingredients like meat and vegetables, completely ignoring spice costs.
⚠️ Heads up:
Spices look cheap per portion, but at 100 portions weekly this creates a €300-500 annual difference per dish.
Document every ingredient with precise quantities
Accurate cost pricing means recording everything that goes into the dish. That includes every pinch of cinnamon or teaspoon of harissa.
? Example tajine ingredients:
For 1 portion of chicken tajine with apricots:
- Chicken thigh: 200g at €8.50/kg = €1.70
- Onions: 80g at €1.20/kg = €0.10
- Dried apricots: 40g at €12.00/kg = €0.48
- Olive oil: 15ml at €6.00/liter = €0.09
- Garlic: 5g at €8.00/kg = €0.04
Break down spice costs per serving
This step trips up most operators. You purchase spices in jars or bulk bags, but use them by grams or teaspoons. Converting to actual portion amounts is crucial.
? Example spice calculation:
Spices for 1 portion of tajine:
- Ras el hanout: 2g at €45.00/kg = €0.09
- Cinnamon stick: 1g at €35.00/kg = €0.04
- Ginger powder: 1g at €25.00/kg = €0.03
- Turmeric: 1g at €20.00/kg = €0.02
- Fresh cilantro: 5g at €15.00/kg = €0.08
Total spices: €0.26
Most owners think "spices cost practically nothing." But €0.26 per portion at 50 weekly portions equals €676 annually on spices alone.
Sum everything for total cost per portion
Now combine all ingredients to find your complete cost price per portion.
? Example total cost price:
- Main ingredients: €2.41
- Spices: €0.26
- Garnish (almonds): €0.15
- Oil for cooking: €0.08
Total cost price: €2.90 per portion
Determine your food cost percentage
With your cost price established, you can calculate food cost percentage. This shows if your dish generates profit.
If you sell the tajine for €24.50 (incl. 9% VAT):
- Selling price excl. VAT: €24.50 / 1.09 = €22.48
- Food cost: (€2.90 / €22.48) × 100 = 12.9%
That's excellent for a tajine. Based on real restaurant P&L data, most Moroccan restaurants hit 15-20% food cost on signature dishes.
⚠️ Heads up:
Always calculate using prices excluding VAT. Your menu shows prices including 9% VAT for food items.
Track spice prices systematically
Spice prices shift frequently. Saffron jumps from €800 to €1200 per kilo. Cardamom swings between €40-80 per kilo. Without tracking these changes, your cost calculations become outdated fast.
Using tools like a food cost calculator helps you monitor all ingredients and prices centrally. Update one supplier price and instantly see how it affects all your dishes.
Related articles
How do you calculate the cost price of a tajine dish?
List all ingredients with exact quantities
Write down every ingredient that goes into the dish, including all spices. Measure or weigh the quantities per portion. Even that pinch of cinnamon or teaspoon of harissa needs to be included.
Calculate the costs per ingredient
Work out what each ingredient costs per portion. For spices: take the price per kilo and convert to grams. For example: turmeric €20/kg = €0.02 per gram.
Add all costs together for the total cost price
Sum all ingredient costs together. This is your cost price per portion. Don't forget to include oil for cooking, garnish and decoration.
Calculate your food cost percentage
Divide your cost price by your selling price excluding VAT and multiply by 100. For Moroccan dishes, 15-25% food cost is standard.
✨ Pro tip
Weigh and pre-portion your spice blends every Sunday for exactly 85 tajine portions. This eliminates daily measuring errors while maintaining consistent flavor profiles across your entire week.
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
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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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