A tasting menu costs more than the sum of individual dishes because you need to account for small portions, special ingredients, and extra presentation. Many fine dining restaurants underestimate the cost price by only looking at main ingredients. In this article, you'll learn step-by-step how to calculate the real cost price of a tasting menu.
What makes a tasting menu cost price complex?
With a tasting menu, you don't have 1 dish, but 5-9 small courses. Each course has its own ingredients, garnishes, and presentation elements. The total cost price is more than you think.
⚠️ Note:
Never calculate with main ingredients only. Sauces, oils, decoration, and amuses bouches often cost more than you think.
Calculate the cost price per course
Start with each course separately. Add up all ingredients, including:
- Main ingredient (meat, fish, vegetable)
- Garnishes and side dishes
- Sauces and emulsions
- Oils for finishing
- Decoration elements (flowers, herbs, special salts)
- Bread and butter between courses
💡 Example course 1 - Amuse bouche:
Oyster with champagne foam and caviar:
- Oyster: €1.80
- Champagne (10ml): €0.40
- Cream (5ml): €0.08
- Ossetra caviar (2g): €3.20
- Chives: €0.05
Cost price per amuse: €5.53
Account for trim loss and preparation time
Fine dining has more trim loss than casual dining. You only use the most beautiful parts of ingredients.
💡 Example trim loss:
Whole sea bass for perfect fillet:
- Whole fish: 800g at €28/kg = €22.40
- Perfect fillet: 120g (85% loss!)
- Actual cost per kg of fillet: €28 ÷ 0.15 = €186/kg
- Cost price 120g portion: €22.32
Not €3.36 like you'd think!
Add up all 'invisible' costs
Tasting menus have extra costs that you don't see directly:
- Amuses and in-between courses: Often forgotten in cost price
- Special tableware: Depreciation per use
- Extra preparation time: More staff needed
- Mise-en-place loss: More prep, more waste
Calculate the total menu cost price
Add up all courses and add 10-15% for unforeseen costs and waste.
💡 Example 7-course menu:
- Course 1 (amuse): €5.53
- Course 2 (appetizer): €8.20
- Course 3 (fish): €22.32
- Course 4 (meat): €28.50
- Course 5 (cheese): €6.80
- Course 6 (pre-dessert): €4.20
- Course 7 (dessert): €7.40
- Bread + butter: €3.20
Subtotal: €86.15
+ 12% unforeseen: €96.49
Total cost price: €96.49
Determine your selling price
Fine dining can have a lower food cost due to higher prices, but calculate realistically.
- Standard food cost fine dining: 28-35%
- At €96.49 cost price and 30% food cost:
- Minimum selling price excl. VAT: €96.49 ÷ 0.30 = €321.63
- Selling price incl. 9% VAT: €321.63 × 1.09 = €350.58
⚠️ Note:
Check if your price fits your target audience and location. A €350 tasting menu requires a specific clientele.
How KitchenNmbrs helps
With KitchenNmbrs you can create each course as a separate recipe and automatically calculate the total menu cost price. You immediately see your food cost percentage and can run different price scenarios.
How do you calculate the cost price of a tasting menu? (step by step)
Make a list of all courses
Write down each course, including amuses, in-between courses, and bread. Don't forget any component that comes to the table.
Calculate cost price per course
Add up all ingredients per course: main ingredient, garnishes, sauces, oils, and decoration. Calculate with actual portion sizes.
Add trim loss and waste
Add up all courses and add 10-15% for trim loss, waste, and unforeseen costs. This is your total cost price.
Calculate your selling price
Divide your cost price by your desired food cost percentage (usually 28-35% for fine dining). Multiply by 1.09 for the price including VAT.
✨ Pro tip
Check your cost price on your 3 most expensive courses first. If those are right, you have 70% of your menu cost price under control.
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 is a realistic food cost for a tasting menu?
For fine dining, the food cost is usually between 28-35%. Due to higher selling prices, you can spend more on quality ingredients than with casual dining.
Should I include wine in the cost price of the menu?
Only if you use an all-inclusive price. Usually you sell wine separately, then you also calculate the cost price separately. Note: wine has 21% VAT.
How do I account for seasonal ingredients that vary in price?
Use average prices over the season, or adjust your menu price when ingredient prices rise significantly. Check monthly whether your cost price still holds up.
What if my cost price turns out higher than expected?
First look at the most expensive courses and find alternatives. Replace expensive ingredients with comparable but cheaper ones, or make portions slightly smaller.
How often should I recalculate my tasting menu cost price?
At least every 3 months, or immediately when suppliers raise prices. Seasonal ingredients can vary in price monthly.
📚 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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