Ingredient cost
Add the usable cost of every ingredient in one serving, including sauces, garnishes, and small components that are easy to overlook.
Food cost software for restaurants
Restaurant food cost calculator and recipe costing tool
Calculate a dish's food cost percentage, gross profit, and gross margin. Then use PlateLedger to build reusable recipe records, account for yields and waste, and make clearer menu-pricing decisions.
Recipe cost overviewExample
Food cost percentage30.0%70.0% gross margin
Selling price$18.00
Recipe cost$5.40
Free calculator
Cost one complete recipe—free
Use your own purchase prices, quantities, recipe usage, portions, and usable yield. Nothing is saved or sent to PlateLedger.
Ingredients
Add every component used in the full recipe.
Metric and imperial conversions work within the same measurement family. Weight cannot be converted to volume without an ingredient-specific density.
Total recipe cost$0.00Full batch
Cost per portion$0.00Yield adjusted
Food cost0.0%Cost ÷ selling price
Gross profit / portion$0.000.0%
Suggested selling price$0.00Based on target
Current vs suggested$0.00Positive is above target price
Cost statusReviewCompared with target
Status rule: Healthy is at or below your target; Review is up to 15% above target; High Cost is more than 15% above target.
Cost one recipe free. Control your whole menu with PlateLedger.
Save and manage recipes, track ingredient costs and waste, compare menu margins, and keep reusable records in the full local toolkit.
Get PlateLedger Pro — $59 one timeSee the full toolkit →Recipe costing explained
What a food cost calculator should include
Yield and waste
Raw purchase cost is not always usable cost. Trim, cooking loss, and spoilage can materially change the true recipe cost.
Food cost percentage
Divide total recipe cost by the menu selling price and multiply by 100. A $5.40 dish sold for $18 has a 30% food cost.
Menu margin
Compare contribution and gross margin across dishes before making pricing, portion, or supplier decisions.
Beyond one calculation
Turn calculations into a repeatable costing system
A free calculator answers one question. PlateLedger helps restaurant teams maintain recipe costing records, monitor waste, and compare menu margins as ingredient prices change.
FAQ
Food cost questions
What is food cost percentage?
Food cost percentage is total recipe ingredient cost divided by the menu selling price, multiplied by 100.
What is a recipe costing tool?
A recipe costing tool organizes ingredient quantities, purchase prices, yields, portions, and selling prices so a restaurant can estimate the true cost and margin of each dish.
Is PlateLedger restaurant food cost software?
Yes. PlateLedger is a practical food cost and recipe costing toolkit for independent restaurants, caterers, cloud kitchens, and multi-location food operators.
Does PlateLedger guarantee a particular margin?
No. It provides structured calculations and visibility; results depend on the accuracy of entered data and operational decisions.