For operators, not diners

Every dish on the menu is a margin decision

Guides for the people who run the place: what a plate actually costs, what it has to sell for, why the bartenders keep leaving, what a supplier price rise does to next month, and which of the kit and software is worth paying for.

Written for operatorsMargins, staffing, stock and kit — not recipes.
Free to readNo sign-up, no paywall, no newsletter wall.
Two strandsRunning the business, and reviews of places to stay.
VAT handled both waysThe calculator prices ex VAT and inc VAT.

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Free tool · runs in your browser

The menu GP calculator

Put in what a plate costs you and the calculator gives you the price it has to carry — ex VAT, inc VAT, and the gross profit you actually end up with once the price is rounded to something a menu can print.

Open the calculator

What you’ll get

Plate cost with a wastage allowance on top
The menu price your GP target needs, ex and inc VAT
The GP you really get after rounding the price
Works backwards too: a price in, the GP out
Arithmetic in your browser — nothing is sent or stored

Corrections & contributions

Run the numbers differently?

Costs, wage rates and supplier terms move, and what works in a 40-cover bistro does not work in a bar with a late licence. If something here is out of date, or you run your kitchen a different way, the editorial team would like to hear about it.

Front of house [email protected] We come back to most messages within two or three days.