Understanding your Food Cost Per Plate (FCPP) is the most critical step in managing restaurant profitability. Use this simple calculator to determine the precise cost of ingredients for a single serving of your menu item.
Food Cost Per Plate Calculator
Enter values and click Calculate to see the steps.
Food Cost Per Plate Formula
Variables
- Total Ingredient Cost: The total dollar amount spent on all raw ingredients required to produce the recipe in bulk (e.g., the cost of a full batch of soup).
- Number of Servings Produced: The yield of the recipe—the exact number of finished plates or portions that the batch produces.
- Food Cost Per Plate (FCPP): The resulting cost of ingredients for a single, sellable portion of the dish.
Related Calculators
Explore other essential profitability tools:
- Restaurant Profit Margin Calculator
- Ideal Food Cost Percentage Calculator
- Menu Price Markup Tool
- Inventory Turnover Ratio Calculator
What is Food Cost Per Plate?
Food Cost Per Plate (FCPP) is a fundamental metric in the restaurant industry, representing the direct cost of the ingredients needed to create one portion of a specific menu item. This figure is absolutely essential for strategic menu pricing. Without an accurate FCPP, a restaurant cannot confidently set a price that covers costs and generates a target profit margin.
The calculation is a simple division: taking the total cost of all ingredients used in a batch recipe and dividing it by the exact number of standard servings that batch yields. An FCPP that is too high relative to the selling price will erode profit, while one that is too low might indicate a dish that is priced too cheaply or uses insufficient ingredients.
How to Calculate Food Cost Per Plate (Example)
- Determine Total Ingredient Cost: Calculate the total cost of all raw ingredients needed for one recipe batch. For example, a batch of lasagna requires $45.00 worth of pasta, meat, sauce, and cheese.
- Determine Number of Servings: Count how many standard, consistent servings that $45.00 batch of lasagna produces. Let’s say the recipe yields 12 individual plates.
- Apply the Formula: Divide the total cost by the number of servings: $45.00 / 12 Servings.
- Result: The Food Cost Per Plate is $3.75. This means for every plate sold, $3.75 goes toward ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is FCPP the same as Food Cost Percentage?
No. FCPP is the absolute dollar cost of one plate’s ingredients. Food Cost Percentage is the ratio of FCPP to the selling price, usually expressed as a percentage (Cost / Sales Price * 100).
What is an ideal Food Cost Per Plate?
There is no universal “ideal” FCPP. It depends entirely on the menu item and the desired Food Cost Percentage (typically 28-35%). For a $20 dish, an FCPP of $6.00 is acceptable; for a $10 dish, $6.00 is too high.
Should labor costs be included in FCPP?
No. FCPP only includes the direct costs of ingredients (raw materials). Labor, utilities, and overhead are captured in the total operating expenses, which must be factored in when setting the menu price (Gross Profit Margin).
How often should I calculate FCPP?
FCPP should be calculated whenever a new menu item is introduced, and re-calculated immediately whenever a core ingredient’s price changes significantly or a recipe is altered.