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Recipe cost calculator
Recipe cost is the total of the ingredients in one batch. Each line is amount used × unit price: 600 g of labneh at ₺320 a kilo is ₺192. The lines add up to the batch cost, and Portion cost = Batch cost ÷ Portions. The example cheesecake costs ₺472, or ₺47.20 a slice over 10; a 60% margin means selling at ₺47.20 ÷ 0.40 = ₺118.
Calculator
Line cost₺192.00
Line cost₺156.00
Line cost₺40.00
Line cost₺36.00
Line cost₺24.00
Line cost₺18.00
Line cost₺6.00
Result
Cost per portion
- Batch cost
- Price for your target margin
It opened with example numbers; type your own and the result changes at once. Nothing is saved.
How it's worked out
Amount used × Buying price ÷ Amount bought (in the same unit)
Sum of the line costs ÷ Portions
Cost per portion ÷ (1 − Target margin)
How to use it
- Add a line for each ingredient: its name, how much this batch uses, and the unit.
- Enter the buying price together with what it bought: ₺320 for 1 kg, or ₺180 for 30 eggs.
- Don't forget packaging; a cake box, a cup and a lid each get a line.
- Enter how many portions or slices the batch makes, and your target margin.
- Read each line's cost, the batch cost, the cost per portion and the price that gives your margin.
Watch out
- Packaging is part of the recipe: leave out the cake box, the paper cup or the lid and your portion cost comes out too low.
- Account for trimming: if 2 kg of mushrooms bought for ₺320 leave 1.6 kg once cleaned, enter the cleaned amount and the price as ₺320 for 1.6 kg.
- Be honest about the yield: if a tin meant for 10 slices gives 9, the cost per slice goes from ₺47.20 to ₺52.44.
- Use the latest receipt: enter each ingredient's most recent buying price, and see what a single rise does with the price increase calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of the price should a portion cost?
A common rule of thumb in restaurants and cafés is to keep ingredient cost at roughly 25–35% of the selling price, which is a gross margin of around 65–75%. You can set the target margin here to match: a 70% margin means cost is 30% of the price. It's a starting point, not a law; with high rent, staff costs or waste, you may need to aim lower.
Should I add a waste allowance to my recipe cost?
If the loss is regular, yes, but don't count it twice. What you trim off in prep raises that ingredient's usable price; slices that break or don't sell lower the yield. If a tin keeps giving 9 slices instead of 10, enter 9 portions, and the cost per slice rises from ₺47.20 to ₺52.44. Record occasional losses as waste rather than building them into the recipe.
If I double a recipe, does the cost per portion change?
Usually not: the ingredient cost doubles with the batch, so two cheesecakes cost ₺944 and a slice is still ₺47.20. What moves the cost per portion is the yield; if a bigger batch means a different tin, pot or cut that gives more or fewer portions, count again. If buying in bulk has lowered an ingredient's unit price, put the new price on that line.
Do I need separate recipes for takeaway and eat-in?
If the packaging changes, yes. The same drink goes out in a paper cup with a lid, or is served in a cup at the table, and the difference lands straight on cost. At our example prices, a flat white costs ₺38.40 to go and ₺29.70 in a cup. Sell both at the same price and your takeaway margin is lower; either price it separately or accept the gap knowingly.
More tools
- Profit margin calculatorEnter cost and price to see your margin and markup, or start from a target margin and get the price to charge.
- Price increase calculatorWork out a supplier's price rise, what it adds to one product's cost, and the new selling price that protects your margin.
- Unit cost calculatorEnter the total and the quantity to get your cost per kg, gram, litre, metre or piece, by the case or the sack too.
- Break-even calculatorSee how many sales, or how many active members, it takes to cover your rent, bills and staff, per month and per day.
- Waste calculatorFind the share of what you made that was thrown away, spoiled or cut off, value it at cost, and see what it adds up to in a month.
- No-show cost calculatorWork out your no-show rate and what missed appointments cost you each week, month and year, and what one more customer a week is worth.
- Class pack price calculatorSee what an 8-class or unlimited pack works out at per class, and how much of that goes to the instructor and how much stays with the studio.
Have a good day at work!
You enter a recipe once; Çetele costs it at each ingredient's latest purchase price and updates the product's cost by itself when an ingredient goes up.