Food cost is a ratio — not a feeling
Restaurants that guess menu prices eventually guess wrong in one direction: too low on high-ingredient dishes, too high on staples that drive traffic. Food cost percentage ties plate cost to menu price with simple algebra.
Build in waste and prep loss — the calculator’s shrinkage field — before you set a target. A 28% food cost target on paper becomes 32% in the kitchen if trim and spoilage are ignored.
Compare your current price to the suggested price. Small moves on bestsellers often matter more than repricing the whole menu at once.