Learning Center
Practical articles on food cost, pricing, and operations—each one linked to the calculators that put the numbers to work.
A practical framework for pricing restaurant catering packages from food cost per guest, labor, rentals, and logistics - including formulas, worked examples, and margin targets that keep events profitable.
Continue ReadingA practical framework for pricing restaurant banquet packages from package cost per guest, venue, decorations, entertainment, and staff - including formulas, worked examples, service charge and tax, and margin targets that keep events profitable.
Continue ReadingA practical framework for pricing restaurant combo meals and meal deals from component prices, food cost, packaging, and expected sales - including formulas, worked examples, and margin targets that keep bundles profitable.
Continue ReadingA practical framework for planning restaurant menu cycles from cycle length, meal slots, average food cost and price, expected covers, ingredient reuse, and food waste - including formulas, worked examples, and margin targets that keep rotations profitable.
Continue ReadingA clear definition of food cost percentage, why restaurants track it, typical target ranges, and how to calculate it with a simple formula.
Continue ReadingLearn a practical, line-by-line method for recipe costing. Includes formulas, a real restaurant-style example, and common pitfalls to avoid.
Continue ReadingPortion cost is your entrée-level ingredient cost per serving. Learn how to divide recipe cost by servings, optionally adjust for waste, and avoid the most common costing errors.
Continue ReadingPlate cost is the full ingredient cost of what leaves your kitchen. Learn how to sum main portion, sides, sauce, garnish, packaging, and other components, plus optional waste adjustment.
Continue ReadingA step-by-step approach to menu pricing using food cost % or markup %. Includes practical examples, strategies, and the most common pricing mistakes that erode gross profit.
Continue ReadingRestaurant gross profit is food margin; net profit includes every operating expense. Learn the difference, how to calculate gross profit %, and how to interpret your food-cost-driven results.
Continue ReadingPrime cost combines food cost and labor cost into one benchmark. Learn the definition, the formula, typical ranges, and how to use the target mode to manage labor and purchasing together.
Continue Reading