Restaurants · Problem-solving calculator
Target Food Cost Price Calculator
Calculate the menu selling price needed to hit a target food-cost percentage from the item or plate cost.
- Free to use
- Runs in your browser
- Level B · Industry formula
- Last reviewed 2026-08-17
Calculator guide
What this calculator helps you solve
Calculate the menu selling price needed to hit a target food-cost percentage from the item or plate cost.
Inputs explained
- Food or plate cost ($) — enter the value that applies to your operation or scenario.
- Target food cost (%) — enter the value that applies to your operation or scenario.
Formula and methodology
Worked example
A plate that costs $6.40 with a 30% target food-cost percentage requires a menu price of about $21.33.
How to interpret the result
Use the result as a pricing starting point, then test market positioning, labor, overhead, taxes, and desired contribution margin before setting the final menu price.
What to keep in mind
- The target food-cost percentage is a management assumption, not a universal industry standard.
- This calculation does not include labor, occupancy, delivery commissions, taxes, or other overhead unless those costs are already embedded in food cost.
Review approach
This calculator uses deterministic arithmetic and performs the calculation locally in your browser. It is designed to combine operational inputs into a decision-oriented result rather than return a one-line conversion.
Review standard: Level B · Industry formula. How calculator reviews work.
Frequently asked questions
What decision can this calculator support?
Use the result as a pricing starting point, then test market positioning, labor, overhead, taxes, and desired contribution margin before setting the final menu price.
How is the result calculated?
Target Menu Price = Food Cost ÷ (Target Food Cost % ÷ 100).
Are the assumptions universal?
No. Operational, regulatory, technical, and industry assumptions vary. Use values that apply to your situation and verify professional or regulatory requirements where relevant.
Does CalculateMeasure store the values I enter?
The calculation runs in your browser and does not require sending the entered calculator values to a server to produce the result.