Cost per plate — also called plate cost or recipe cost — is the ingredient cost of one portion of one dish, as it actually leaves the pass. It is the restaurant version of “cost per unit”, and it is the number behind every menu price, every promotion and every argument about whether a dish is worth keeping. This guide shows how to calculate it properly, how to turn it into a price, and how to use it with sales data to decide what to sell more of.
Plate cost and menu price calculator
| True plate cost | – |
| Food cost % at current price | – |
| Contribution per plate (price − plate cost) | – |
| Price needed for target food cost | – |
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Definition and formula
Plate cost = sum of (quantity of each ingredient per portion × cost per unit of that ingredient) + allowance for trim, waste and garnish.
Plate cost % = plate cost ÷ menu price (excluding sales tax) × 100.
Contribution per plate = menu price − plate cost.
Three rules keep the number honest:
- Use the yielded cost, not the purchase cost. A kilo of whole salmon at $18 that yields 650 g of portionable fillet costs $27.70 per usable kilo. Apply the yield before you divide.
- Cost the portion actually served. If the spec says 180 g and the line serves 200 g, the plate cost is the 200 g.
- Include the small things. Oil, butter, salt, sauce, garnish, bread on the side. Individually trivial, together often 5–10% of the plate.
Worked example
A pan-fried salmon main, menu price $26 excluding tax:
| Ingredient | Portion | Yielded cost per unit | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salmon fillet | 170 g | $27.70 / kg | $4.71 |
| New potatoes | 200 g | $2.40 / kg | $0.48 |
| Green beans | 90 g | $6.00 / kg | $0.54 |
| Beurre blanc | 60 ml | $9.50 / l | $0.57 |
| Oil, butter, seasoning, garnish | — | allowance | $0.35 |
| Plate cost | $6.65 | ||
Plate cost % = 6.65 ÷ 26 = 25.6%. Contribution = 26 − 6.65 = $19.35.
Compare a pasta at $18 with a $3.10 plate cost: plate cost % is 17.2% — “better” — but contribution is $14.90, more than four dollars less per plate. If the salmon sells as often as the pasta, the salmon earns the restaurant more money. This is why the percentage alone is a poor guide to what to promote.
From plate cost to menu price
The common starting point is price = plate cost ÷ target food cost %. At a 30% target, the salmon’s price would be 6.65 ÷ 0.30 = $22.17. Three adjustments follow:
- Market check. What do comparable restaurants nearby charge? If the formula price is far below the market, you may be leaving money on the table.
- Labor intensity. A dish that takes three minutes of a cook’s time and one that takes twelve should not carry the same margin.
- Menu role. Some dishes exist to bring people in, some to raise the check. Price the role, then check the cost.
Using plate cost with sales: menu engineering in one table
Put every dish in a table with its plate cost, contribution and number sold last month. Sort by total contribution (contribution × number sold). The top of the list is what to protect and promote; the bottom is what to re-cost, re-price or remove. Do this quarterly and after every supplier price change of more than a few percent.
What moves plate cost
- Supplier prices — especially proteins, dairy and oils. Re-cost the top ten dishes whenever a major ingredient moves.
- Portion drift — the most common cause of an actual food cost above theoretical. Scales and portion tools on the line cost less than the drift.
- Yield changes — a new supplier’s whole fish or a different cut can change usable weight by 10% or more.
- Recipe creep — the extra garnish, the bigger side, the sauce that grew. Check the spec against the plate monthly.
Limitations
Plate cost is a theoretical number: it assumes the recipe is followed and nothing is wasted. Your actual food cost percentage, calculated from stock counts, will always be higher. The gap between the two — commonly two to four points — is waste, over-portioning, comps and theft, and it is worth measuring as its own KPI.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate cost per plate?
List every ingredient in one portion, multiply each quantity by its yielded cost per unit, add a small allowance for oil, seasoning and garnish, and total it. Divide by the menu price excluding tax for the plate cost percentage.
What is a good plate cost percentage?
Many restaurants aim for roughly 25–35% across the menu, but individual dishes vary widely. Judge each dish on contribution in dollars and on how often it sells, not on its percentage alone.
How often should recipes be re-costed?
The top sellers whenever a key ingredient price changes, and the whole menu at least twice a year or whenever the menu changes.
What is the difference between plate cost and food cost percentage?
Plate cost is the theoretical cost of one dish from its recipe. Food cost percentage is the actual cost of all food used in a period, from stock counts, divided by food sales. The difference measures waste and portion control.
Related restaurant KPIs
Plate cost feeds food cost percentage and prime cost; contribution per plate drives restaurant profit margin and average check. The full set is in the restaurant KPI framework.
See whether actual food cost is drifting away from your recipes. The free Restaurant KPI Excel template tracks food cost, labor and prime cost every month against your own targets. The Restaurant Performance System does it weekly and tells you which cost to look at first.