Last reviewed: July 28, 2026
Calculate your food cost percentage, find the ideal menu price, and see your profit margin — instantly.
Short answer
Food cost percentage is the ratio of ingredient costs to the selling price of a dish. For example, if a dish costs $3 to make and sells for $10, the food cost percentage is 30%. Most restaurants target 28–35%.
Total cost of all ingredients for one serving
Fill this to check if your current price is profitable
Suggested Menu Price
—
At 30% food cost · —% gross margin
Your Food Cost %
—
Enter selling price above
Gross Margin
—
Enter price above
Formula Used
Price = $cost ÷ 0.30 = ?
AI gives you 3 pricing tiers + delivery markup + menu copy
Industry averages — use these to check if your costs are competitive.
| Restaurant Type | Typical Range | Sweet Spot | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine Dining | 25–35% | 28% | — |
| Casual Dining | 28–35% | 32% | — |
| Fast Casual | 25–32% | 28% | — |
| Food Truck | 25–35% | 30% | — |
| Bakery / Café | 25–35% | 30% | — |
| Pizza / Pasta | 28–38% | 33% | — |
Write down every ingredient in one serving of the dish — including garnishes, sauces, and oils. Don't forget packaging if it's for delivery.
For each ingredient: (Amount used ÷ Package size) × Package cost. Add them all up to get your total ingredient cost per serving.
Food Cost % = (Ingredient Cost ÷ Menu Price) × 100. Target 28–35% for most restaurant types. Divide cost by target % to get your ideal price.
The Two Key Formulas
Check if your price is right
Food Cost % =
Ingredient Cost ÷ Price × 100
Find the right price
Menu Price =
Ingredient Cost ÷ Target Cost %
Just type your dish name — MenuPricer estimates ingredients, calculates costs, and gives you 3 pricing tiers with menu copy. In 30 seconds.
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