Calculator

Food Cost Calculator

Cost recipes by ingredient, wastage, yield, labour and target margin.

Ingredients

Ingredient rows

Row 1
Row 2
Yield, price and targets

Results

Enter your assumptions and NodeTools will show the result here.

Results are estimates for planning purposes and do not constitute accounting, tax, legal or licensing advice. Confirm applicable VAT treatment and legal requirements with a qualified adviser.

What this calculator does

Food Cost Calculator turns hospitality assumptions into a clear planning estimate using decimal arithmetic and explicit VAT inputs.

How to use it

Enter the values from your supplier invoice, menu plan or stock count. Check the VAT fields carefully before relying on the result.

  • Use net values when you are comparing trading performance.
  • Use VAT-inclusive values when matching till prices or supplier invoices.
  • Review the detailed breakdown before copying or exporting the result.

Formula

Food cost percentage = cost per portion / net selling price x 100.

Common mistakes

The most common mistakes are mixing margin with markup, ignoring wastage, and comparing VAT-inclusive sales with VAT-exclusive costs.

Frequently asked questions

The result is a planning estimate, not tax or accounting advice. If your VAT treatment is unusual, confirm it with a qualified adviser.

Disclaimer

Results are estimates for planning purposes and do not constitute accounting, tax, legal or licensing advice. Confirm applicable VAT treatment and legal requirements with a qualified adviser.