Plate Cost
What is plate cost?
Direct answer
Plate cost is the total ingredient cost required to make one menu item. It includes every component on the plate, adjusted for portion size, trim, yield, and cooking loss.
Key points
- Plate cost is the input for menu pricing and item-level food cost.
- Yield matters because raw weight and plated cooked weight are often different.
- Small missing ingredients, sauces, garnishes, and packaging can distort margin at volume.
What to do next
- 1List every ingredient and garnish used in the portion.
- 2Convert package cost into portion cost.
- 3Add yield loss, trim, and packaging where relevant.