Plate Cost and Menu Pricing
Plate cost, suggested menu price at target food-cost %, contribution margin, sanity flag.
Example
You enter
- Ingredients name ribeye 8oz, lbs 0.5, cost per (lb) 16, and 2 more
- Target food cost (%) 30
You get
- Plate cost $9.23
- Suggested price $30.77
- Contribution margin $21.54
- Sanity ok
Details, formula, and sources
Plate cost = Σ (ingredient EP cost × portion size). Suggested menu price = plate cost / target food-cost % (typical 28-32% in casual dining, 22-28% fine dining). Contribution margin = price − plate cost.
Engineering-practice food-cost benchmarks (NRA / National Restaurant Association published industry medians) by name; USDA FoodData Central for ingredient costs when bundled.
NRA Restaurant Industry Forecast free at restaurant.org.
The thermometer on the food is the verdict. Local health department governs.
Field names used by the API: ingredients, target_food_cost_pct, plate_cost, suggested_price, contribution_margin, sanity_flag
- Default target food-cost % 30% unless user supplies (casual-dining median per NRA)NRA Restaurant Industry Forecast