Restaurant Prime Cost (CoGS + Labor %) & Menu Item Target Food Cost Pricing Calculator

Compute restaurant Prime Cost %, Food Cost %, Labor %, and ideal menu item price.

Restaurant Prime Cost (% of Sales)
59 %
Monthly Prime Cost (CoGS + Labor $) USD 73,750.00
Actual Food & Beverage Cost (%) 29 %
Target Menu Item Price (USD) USD 22.50
Inputs
⚡ Scenarios:
Amounts are treated in the selected currency; no foreign-exchange conversion is applied.
$
Total monthly food and beverage sales.
$
Monthly food and beverage Cost of Goods Sold (Beginning + Purchases − Ending).
$
Monthly BOH/FOH wages, salaries, payroll taxes & benefits.
$/plate
Ingredient portion cost of a single signature menu item ($).
%
Target food cost percentage for menu pricing (typically 25%–32%).
Results & Graph
Restaurant Prime Cost (% of Sales)
59 %
Monthly Prime Cost (CoGS + Labor $)
USD 73,750.00
Actual Food & Beverage Cost (%)
29 %
Target Menu Item Price (USD)
USD 22.50

Restaurant Prime Cost (% of Sales)

Graph 1 • Restaurant Prime & Food Cost • Domain Architecture & Live Telemetry Maps Monthly Restaurant Sales, Monthly Food Bev Cogs, Monthly Total Labor Cost through Restaurant Prime & Food Cost Formula.
HOSPITALITY & FOOD SERVICE Restaurant Prime Cost (% o 59 % Monthly Prime Cost (CoGS + USD 73,750.00 Restaurant Prime & Food Cost • Component Waterfall Restaurant Prime Cost (% of Sa 59 % Monthly Prime Cost (CoGS + Lab USD 73,750.00 Actual Food & Beverage Cost (% 29 % Target Menu Item Price (USD) USD 22.50
Graph 2 • Restaurant Prime Cost (% of Sales) Across Monthly Restaurant Sales Sweep (40% → 160%) Evaluates PrimeCost% = (FoodBevCOGS + TotalLaborWithPayrollTax) / TotalSales × 100 across 7 operating points (current input highlighted).
0 % 81.13 % 162.3 % 147.5 50.0k$ 98.33 75.0k$ 73.75 100.0k$ 59 125.0k$ 49.17 150.0k$ 42.14 175.0k$ 36.88 200.0k$
Graph 3 • Joint Sensitivity: Monthly Restaurant Sales × Monthly Food Bev Cogs Compares Restaurant Prime Cost (% of Sales) when Monthly Food Bev Cogs is shifted +25% (solid) vs. −25% (dashed).
0 % 52.05 % 104.1 % --- Monthly Food Bev Cogs @ 75% 94.64 -30% 77.90 -15% 66.25 +0% 57.59 +15% 50.96 +30%
Summary: Prime Cost is USD 73,750.00 or 59% of sales (29% CoGS + 30% Labor; target <60%), and a USD 6.30 plate priced for 28% food cost should be USD 22.50.
Summary: Prime Cost is USD 73,750.00 or 59% of sales (29% CoGS + 30% Labor; target <60%), and a USD 6.30 plate priced for 28% food cost should be USD 22.50.
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Interactive chart & math engine powered by CalculatorGraph

Formula & Mathematical Methodology: Restaurant Prime & Food Cost Formula

PrimeCost% = (FoodBevCOGS + TotalLaborWithPayrollTax) / TotalSales × 100
IdealMenuPrice = PlateRecipeCost / (TargetFoodCost% / 100)
PrimeCost% = (FoodBevCOGS + TotalLaborWithPayrollTax) / TotalSales × 100; IdealMenuPrice = PlateRecipeCost / (TargetFoodCost% / 100)
  • monthlyRestaurantSales: Total monthly food and beverage sales.
  • monthlyFoodBevCogs: Monthly food and beverage Cost of Goods Sold (Beginning + Purchases − Ending).
  • monthlyTotalLaborCost: Monthly BOH/FOH wages, salaries, payroll taxes & benefits.
  • samplePlateRecipeCost: Ingredient portion cost of a single signature menu item ($).
  • targetPlateFoodCostPct: Target food cost percentage for menu pricing (typically 25%–32%).

Rounding: Internal floating-point calculations preserve full precision; currency and percentage outputs round to 2 decimal places.

Worked Example: Restaurant Prime & Food Cost Worked Example

Compute restaurant Prime Cost %, Food Cost %, Labor %, and ideal menu item price.

  1. Enter your operational, financial, or physical measurement inputs.
  2. Apply the standard domain equation: PrimeCost% = (FoodBevCOGS + TotalLaborWithPayrollTax) / TotalSales × 100; IdealMenuPrice = PlateRecipeCost / (TargetFoodCost% / 100).
  3. Review the primary result, sensitivity metrics, and 3 interactive SVG graphs.
Result: Calculates Restaurant Prime & Food Cost via PrimeCost% = (FoodBevCOGS + TotalLaborWithPayrollTax) / TotalSales × 100; IdealMenuPrice = PlateRecipeCost / (TargetFoodCost% / 100).

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Restaurant Prime Cost (CoGS + Labor %) & Menu Item Target Food Cost Pricing Calculator calculate results?

It computes PrimeCost% = (FoodBevCOGS + TotalLaborWithPayrollTax) / TotalSales × 100; IdealMenuPrice = PlateRecipeCost / (TargetFoodCost% / 100) directly in your browser and updates three custom SVG visualizations in real time.

Can I use Goal Seek to solve backwards for any input variable?

Yes. Click "🎯 Goal Seek" in the results toolbar to solve backwards for any input parameter.

Are my business and personal numbers kept private?

Yes. All calculations execute 100% locally in your browser with zero server transmission.

Business & Marketing · Hospitality & Food Service

Restaurant Prime Cost (CoGS + Labor %) & Menu Item Target Food Cost Pricing Calculator: inputs, method, and how to read the result

Compute restaurant Prime Cost %, Food Cost %, Labor %, and ideal menu item price.

Choose inputs for the case you are checking

The defaults are illustrative. Replace them with values for your case and keep the units shown beside each field.

  • Display Currency: Amounts are treated in the selected currency; no foreign-exchange conversion is applied.
  • Monthly Restaurant Sales: Total monthly food and beverage sales.
  • Monthly Food Bev Cogs: Monthly food and beverage Cost of Goods Sold (Beginning + Purchases − Ending).
  • Monthly Total Labor Cost: Monthly BOH/FOH wages, salaries, payroll taxes & benefits.

What the calculation includes

With the default values shown, Restaurant Prime Cost (% of Sales) is 59 %. The calculation follows Restaurant Prime & Food Cost Formula; the formula and variable definitions above show how the inputs combine.

One-input check: With the other defaults held constant, changing Monthly Restaurant Sales from 125,000 $ to 137,500 $ changes Restaurant Prime Cost (% of Sales) from 59 % to 53.64 %. This is a comparison inside the calculator's stated model, not a prediction.

Where to use caution

  • Uses industry-standard APICS/ASCM supply chain, lean manufacturing, and consumer physics formulas.
  • Actual commercial freight tariffs, marketplace commissions, and utility rates vary by carrier and contract.

Scope: Global Supply Chain, Business & Consumer Standard Check the assumptions and limitations against your situation before relying on the estimate.

More in Business & Marketing: ROI Calculator (Return on Investment), Percentage Calculator.