Glossary

Plate cost

Plate cost is the full ingredient cost of one finished dish, including the protein, sides, garnish, sauce, and oil that reach the guest.

How to build a plate cost

Cost every component of the dish at its as-purchased price, adjust for yield and trim, then add the small items operators routinely miss — garnish, butter, oil, and the bread on the side. The total is the plate cost, the floor every menu price must clear.

A standardized build sheet is what makes plate cost repeatable from cook to cook and shift to shift.

Example

A salmon entree carries $5.80 of fish, $1.20 of vegetables, $0.70 of starch, and $0.45 of sauce and garnish. Its plate cost is $8.15, so a $32 menu price holds the food cost near 25 percent.

See also

Food costFood cost percentageContribution margin

Related

Food cost calculatorHow to price menu items

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