Recipe Yield & Portion Cost Calculator
Recipe yield calculator for chefs and operators. Enter purchase cost, prep loss and portions to see yield %, waste %, cost per portion and suggested selling price.
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Recipes rarely deliver the full weight you paid for. Trimming, peeling, cooking loss and portioning all shrink the usable amount. This calculator turns purchase cost into a true cost per portion.
Formula: Yield % = (Usable qty ÷ Purchased qty) × 100. Cost per portion = Purchase cost ÷ Portions produced.
What this calculator does
Works out what a portion really costs once trim, prep loss and cooking loss are accounted for, then suggests a selling price at your target GP.
Who it is for
- Chefs costing proteins, fish and vegetables where the yield is well below the purchase weight.
- Kitchens writing accurate specification sheets.
- Operators wondering why plate costs never match the theoretical menu costing.
How to use it
- Enter the purchase weight and the purchase cost of the raw item.
- Enter the usable weight after trimming, boning and cooking loss.
- Enter the portion size or the number of portions you get.
- Read the yield percentage, the true cost per kilo of usable product and the cost per portion.
The formula
- Yield% = (Usable weight / Purchase weight) x 100
- True cost per kg = Purchase cost / Usable weight in kg
- Cost per portion = True cost per kg x Portion weight in kg
- Suggested price = Cost per portion / (1 - Target GP% / 100)
Worked example
5kg of beef at £13.50 per kilo, trimming down to 3.6kg usable, portioned at 150g.
- Purchase cost = 5 x £13.50 = £67.50
- Yield = 3.6 / 5 = 72%
- True cost per kg = £67.50 / 3.6 = £18.75, against a headline £13.50
- Portions = 3.6kg / 0.150kg = 24, so cost per portion = £67.50 / 24 = £2.81
£2.81 per portion. Costing at the headline £13.50 per kilo would have shown £2.03 - a 28% understatement of plate cost.
How to read your result
- Yield percentage is the single biggest hidden variable in kitchen costing. A 72% yield means every headline price is effectively 39% higher.
- If two suppliers quote similar prices, the one with the better yield is materially cheaper.
- Track yield by butcher and by season - it moves.
What to do next
- Record yield tests for your top proteins and keep them on the spec sheet.
- Use trim in stocks, sauces and staff food and value it back against the cost.
- Feed the true portion cost into the food cost calculator rather than the purchase price.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Costing from purchase weight instead of usable weight.
- Ignoring cooking loss on roasted and braised items, which can be substantial.
- Running one yield test and assuming it holds all year.
Assumptions and limitations
- Assumes trim has no resale or reuse value unless you deduct it from the cost yourself.
- Yield varies by supplier, grade, season and butchery skill; retest periodically.
Dumb Bambi provides general business information, not accounting, tax or legal advice. Read our calculation methodology or tell us about a mistake.
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- Menu Engineering Calculator - Classify dishes as Star, Ploughhorse, Puzzle or Dog.
Frequently asked questions
Is yield % the same as waste %?+
They're complements - yield + waste = 100%. High yield means low waste.
What yield should I expect on fresh fish?+
Whole fish typically yields 40–60% edible flesh. Pre-portioned fillets can reach 90%+.
Should cooking loss be included?+
Yes - enter the usable amount after cooking. That gives you an honest cost per plated portion.