Free Recipe Cost Calculator — Cost Per Serving & Menu Price
Enter grocery package prices and the quantities used in your recipe to calculate each ingredient cost, total batch cost, cost per portion, and an optional selling price.
Start with an example recipe
Presets demonstrate the difference between the package you buy and the amount the recipe uses. Loading one replaces current inputs.
Recipe inputs
Ingredients
Yield defaults to 100%. Lower it for trim, peeling, bones, draining, spoilage, or other unusable portions.
Advanced Pricing (optional)
Enter either or both fields. Targets are your choice; no percentage is universal across food businesses.
Pricing results
Calculate to see a complete ingredient breakdown.
| Ingredient | Amount used | Unit cost | Cost | % of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No results yet. | ||||
Save, duplicate, print, or export
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How to cost a recipe
- Enter the actual servings the batch produces.
- Add each purchase price, package size, and package unit.
- Enter how much the recipe uses and select its unit.
- Lower usable yield when trim or waste reduces what you can use.
- Review costs, percentages, and optional pricing results.
Often-missed costs checklist
- Cooking oil and seasonings
- Garnishes and sauces
- Takeaway or catering packaging
- Utilities and equipment use
- Preparation and service labor
- Current supplier prices and fees
Recipe costing formulas and unit conversions
Package unit cost: purchase price ÷ package quantity. Package quantity is converted to its base unit first.
Yield-adjusted unit cost: package unit cost ÷ (yield % ÷ 100). A lower edible yield raises the cost of each usable unit.
Ingredient cost: converted amount used × yield-adjusted unit cost.
Total recipe cost: sum of every ingredient cost.
Cost per serving: total recipe cost ÷ servings.
Food-cost percentage: cost per serving ÷ selling price × 100.
Suggested selling price: cost per serving ÷ (target food-cost % ÷ 100).
Markup: gross profit ÷ cost × 100. Gross margin: gross profit ÷ selling price × 100. Markup uses cost as its denominator; margin uses selling price.
Supported mass conversions: kilograms, grams, pounds, and ounces. Supported volume conversions: litres, millilitres, US cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons. Pieces convert only to pieces. Volume-to-weight conversions such as cups to grams require ingredient-specific density, so the calculator does not assume them automatically.
Worked example: Family Chicken & Rice preset
This table uses the same data as the first guided preset. Chicken yield is 75% to account for bone, trim, and loss; the other ingredients use 100% yield.
| Ingredient | Package | Amount used | Conversion / yield | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken thighs | $8.99 / 2 kg | 1.2 kg | 2 kg = 2,000 g; 75% yield | $7.19 |
| Rice | $4.50 / 2 kg | 400 g | 2 kg = 2,000 g | $0.90 |
| Onion | $2.40 / 6 pieces | 2 pieces | Same count unit | $0.80 |
| Olive oil | $9.00 / 750 ml | 30 ml | Same volume unit | $0.36 |
| Spices | $4.80 / 120 g | 12 g | Same mass unit | $0.48 |
| Total batch cost | $9.73 | |||
6 servings: $9.732 ÷ 6 = $1.62 per serving. At a 30% target food-cost percentage, $1.622 ÷ 0.30 = $5.41 suggested selling price. The preset's $5.50 selling price produces about 29.5% food cost, $3.88 gross profit per serving, 239.1% markup, and 70.5% gross margin.
Recipe cost calculator FAQs
How do package-price calculations work?
Enter the price and size printed on the package, then enter the amount your recipe uses. The calculator converts compatible units, adjusts for yield, and charges only the fraction of the package used.
How should I enter bulk purchases?
Use the total bulk price and total package quantity. For a case containing 12 one-kilogram bags, for example, enter the case price and 12 kg, or enter one bag and its allocated price.
Which unit conversions are supported?
Mass units convert among grams, kilograms, ounces, and pounds. Volume units convert among millilitres, litres, teaspoons, tablespoons, and US cups. Pieces convert only to pieces.
Can the calculator convert cups to grams?
No. Cups measure volume and grams measure mass, so the conversion depends on the ingredient's density and preparation. Use a reliable ingredient-specific conversion before entering the amount.
What is edible yield?
Edible yield is the usable percentage of a purchased ingredient after trim, peeling, bones, draining, or spoilage. A 75% yield means only three quarters of the purchased quantity is costed as usable.
How should I handle cooking loss?
Use yield for predictable ingredient-level loss, or reduce the final serving count if cooking shrinkage changes how many portions the batch actually produces. Do not apply the same loss twice.
How is cost per serving calculated?
The yield-adjusted costs of all ingredients are added to get batch cost, then batch cost is divided by the number of servings.
What is the difference between markup and margin?
Markup is gross profit divided by cost. Gross margin is gross profit divided by selling price. They use different denominators, so a 100% markup equals a 50% margin.
What food-cost target should I use for menu pricing?
Choose a target that reflects your operation, menu, overhead, and market. Industry ranges are only general guidance; there is no universal target for every restaurant, bakery, caterer, or meal-prep business.
Does the suggested selling price include labor and overhead?
Not directly. It divides ingredient cost per serving by your target food-cost percentage. Check that the remaining amount can cover labor, utilities, rent, packaging, fees, tax, and profit.
How do I cost catering portions?
Set servings to the number of portions the tray or batch will actually provide, include packaging and garnishes as ingredient rows, and use Advanced Pricing to test a per-portion selling price.
Can I use any currency?
Yes. Select a displayed currency symbol and enter every price in the same currency. The calculator does not perform exchange-rate conversion.
Where are saved recipes stored?
Saved recipes remain in this browser's local storage. They are not synced to an account and may disappear if you clear browser data.
Are my recipe and pricing data private?
Calculations and saved recipes stay in your browser. Data leaves the page only if you intentionally use the browser's share feature or send an exported file.