You calculate the cost price of a schnitzel with side dishes by adding up all ingredients: the meat, breadcrumbs, eggs, frying oil and all garnishes. Most restaurants overlook side dishes in their calculations, making their food costs appear deceptively low. You'll need to account for every component that hits the plate.
Gather all ingredients
A schnitzel involves more than just the meat portion. For accurate cost calculations, you need every single item that lands on that plate:
- Main ingredient: Veal, pork or chicken fillet
- Breading: Flour, egg, breadcrumbs
- Frying oil: Oil that the meat absorbs
- Side dishes: Potatoes, vegetables, sauce
- Garnish: Lemon, parsley, butter on the plate
⚠️ Note:
Don't skip the absorbed frying oil. Each schnitzel soaks up 10-15 grams, costing you €0.15-0.25 extra per serving.
Calculate meat and breading
Start with your protein and coating. These typically represent 60-70% of your total dish cost.
💡 Example veal schnitzel:
- Veal 180g at €32/kg: €5.76
- Flour 5g at €1.20/kg: €0.01
- Egg (half egg) 25g at €3.50/kg: €0.09
- Breadcrumbs 15g at €4/kg: €0.06
- Frying oil 12g at €2/kg: €0.02
Meat + breading: €5.94
Pork schnitzel uses identical portions but costs around €18/kg. That's roughly €2.50 savings per plate.
Calculate side dishes
Side dishes account for 30-40% of your total plate cost. Break down each element individually:
- Potatoes: Boiled, fried or as fries
- Vegetables: Seasonal vegetables or salad
- Sauce: Hollandaise, mushroom sauce or jus
💡 Example side dishes:
- Boiled potatoes 200g at €1.80/kg: €0.36
- Green beans 120g at €4.50/kg: €0.54
- Hollandaise sauce 30ml at €12/liter: €0.36
- Lemon wedge: €0.08
- Parsley garnish: €0.05
Side dishes total: €1.39
Cutting loss and preparation
Meat always involves trimming and portioning losses. Factor in 8-12% cutting loss for realistic pricing.
Formula actual meat price:
Actual price = Purchase price ÷ (100% - cutting loss%)
💡 Cutting loss calculation:
Veal €32/kg with 10% cutting loss:
Actual price: €32 ÷ 0.90 = €35.56/kg
180g schnitzel then costs: €6.40 instead of €5.76
Calculate total cost price
Now combine every component for your complete schnitzel cost:
💡 Complete veal schnitzel cost price:
- Meat (with cutting loss): €6.40
- Breading and oil: €0.18
- Side dishes: €1.39
- Garnish: €0.13
Total cost price: €8.10
At €28.50 menu price (incl. 9% VAT) your net selling price becomes €26.15. Your food cost percentage: €8.10 ÷ €26.15 × 100 = 31.0%
⚠️ Note:
Most restaurants calculate meat only and skip sides. Your food cost appears to be 22% but actually runs 31% - that's the kind of thing you only learn after closing your first month at a loss.
Different schnitzel variations
Cost prices shift dramatically based on your protein choice and prep method:
- Veal schnitzel: €7.50-9.50 cost price
- Pork schnitzel: €4.50-6.50 cost price
- Chicken schnitzel: €3.50-5.00 cost price
- Wiener schnitzel: +€0.50 for premium meat
Match your menu pricing to your protein selection. Pork schnitzel at €28.50 delivers roughly 20% food cost - that's solid margin territory.
How do you calculate the cost price of a schnitzel? (step by step)
Weigh and calculate the meat
Determine the weight of your schnitzel (usually 160-200g) and multiply by the kilogram price. Include 8-12% cutting loss by dividing by the yield.
Add breading and frying oil
Calculate flour, egg, breadcrumbs and absorbed oil. This usually costs €0.15-0.25 per schnitzel, but do include it for an accurate cost price.
Calculate all side dishes
Add potatoes, vegetables, sauce and garnish together. Weigh the portions and multiply by the purchase prices per kilogram or liter.
Check your food cost percentage
Divide your total cost price by your selling price excl. VAT and multiply by 100. A good food cost for schnitzel is between 25-35%.
✨ Pro tip
Recalculate your schnitzel costs every 3 weeks during spring season - meat prices can jump 15-20% without warning. Missing a price spike for even 2 weeks can kill your monthly margins.
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
Should I include frying oil in my cost price?
Absolutely. Each schnitzel absorbs 10-15 grams during frying, costing €0.15-0.25 per portion. That adds up to significant money over a full year of service.
How do I calculate cutting loss for meat?
Divide your purchase price by the actual yield percentage. With 10% loss you get 90% yield: €30/kg ÷ 0.90 = €33.33/kg real cost.
Can I offer different side dishes for the same price?
Calculate the weighted average of your side dish costs. If 60% choose fries (€0.45) and 40% pick vegetables (€0.65), use €0.53 as your baseline cost. Track your actual mix monthly and adjust accordingly.
📚 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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