Restaurants
Recipe portion cost
Find the ingredient cost of a batch and each sellable portion from package prices and quantities used.
Your inputs
Complete the fields for your selected method. Zero means intentionally zero, not unknown. Currency selection labels amounts; it does not convert exchange rates.
How this calculation works
ingredient cost = package cost × quantity used / package quantity; portion cost = batch cost / sellable portions Known-total alternative: portion cost = known batch ingredient cost / sellable portions.
Each row uses the SAME quantity unit on both sides: for example 12 eggs and 4 eggs, or 32 ounces and 8 ounces. Different ingredients may use different units. Count the amount taken from purchased stock, including trim or waste allocated to this batch. Sellable yield is observed or explicitly assumed. Labor, occupancy and profit are excluded.
What information do I need?
Use records for the same job, equipment or accounting period. Only the fields for your selected entry method are required. An unknown amount is not zero.
Input definitions and where to find them
- Which recipe cost information do you have?: Choose the information you actually have. Only the selected method is required.
- Ingredients taken from purchased packs: Invoices, recipe quantity and measured batch yield. Owner records or explicit assumption; no account connection or maintained rate tables required. Used with: Package prices and ingredient quantities used.
- Ingredient name: Invoices, recipe quantity and measured batch yield. Owner records or explicit assumption; no account connection or maintained rate tables required.
- Price paid for package (selected currency): Invoices, recipe quantity and measured batch yield. Owner records or explicit assumption; no account connection or maintained rate tables required.
- Quantity in package (same unit as amount used): Invoices, recipe quantity and measured batch yield. Owner records or explicit assumption; no account connection or maintained rate tables required.
- Quantity taken for this batch (same unit as package quantity): Invoices, recipe quantity and measured batch yield. Owner records or explicit assumption; no account connection or maintained rate tables required.
- Sellable portions from batch (portions): Invoices, recipe quantity and measured batch yield. Owner records or explicit assumption; no account connection or maintained rate tables required.
- Known ingredient cost for this complete batch (selected currency): Invoices, recipe quantity and measured batch yield. Owner records or explicit assumption; no account connection or maintained rate tables required. Used with: Already known total ingredient cost for the batch.
Use the Where to find this value controls beside the inputs for available work-it-out helpers. Estimates remain your assumptions; a helper does not verify the source figures.
Worked example
Example amounts use US dollars (USD).
Example answer: Ingredient cost per sellable portion is $0.50 for the illustrative inputs below.
Example inputs
- Which recipe cost information do you have?: Package prices and ingredient quantities used
- Ingredients taken from purchased packs
- Ingredient name: Ingredient A
- Price paid for package: $12.00
- Quantity in package: 24.00 same unit as amount used
- Quantity taken for this batch: 6.00 same unit as package quantity
- Ingredient name: Ingredient B
- Price paid for package: $8.00
- Quantity in package: 16.00 same unit as amount used
- Quantity taken for this batch: 4.00 same unit as package quantity
- Sellable portions from batch: 10 portions
- Ingredient cost per sellable portion
- $0.50
- Total batch ingredient cost
- $5.00
These illustrative values are not recommended rates or industry averages. Replace every example input with your own figures.
Use the result well
Compare invoice/yield changes.
Keep inputs on the same scope and time basis. Calculations retain precision internally; displayed values generally round to two decimal places, with extra precision for very small values and whole-unit rounding where required. Economic comparisons describe your supplied assumptions and do not guarantee future results.
This tool provides business arithmetic. It does not approve engineering designs, establish legal or tax treatment, select equipment or certify safe operating conditions.