17 | Generating Revenue and Cost Containment Table 17.6 Calculate Menu Sales Price Using Food Cost Percentage Method Example 1 pan of lasagna costs $36.00 in ingredients and yields 24 servings. $36.00/24 = $1.50/serving raw food cost
Selling Price = Raw Food Cost ÷ Food Cost Percentage. The organization uses a 35 percent food cost (0.35 when changed to a decimal) Selling Price = $1.50 ÷ 0.35 = $4.29 per serving
Calculating the menu sales price using the Factor Method shown in Table 17.7 is a variation of the food cost percentage method. The Factor Method yields a quick estimate of the selling price. To calculate the factor, divide 100 by the food cost percentage:
Factor = 100 ÷ food cost percentage
Examples: 40% food cost percentage = 100 ÷ 40 = 2.5 35% food cost percentage = 100 ÷ 35 = 2.9 30% food cost percentage = 100 ÷ 30 = 3.3 Multiply the raw food cost by the factor to get the selling price. Selling Price = Raw Food Cost x Factor
Table 17.7 Calculate Menu Sales Price Using Factor Method
Example Turkey panini sandwich has a raw food cost of $2.30/serving. Selling Price = Raw Food Cost x Factor. In this example, the organization used a factor of 3. Selling Price = $2.30 x 3 = $6.90
These two methods have the advantages of being both simple and easy to use. The disadvantages are that they may result in prices that are too low when applied to labor-intensive or low food cost menu items. This can be corrected by using different food cost percentages for different types of food items and adjusting the price according to what other food establishments are charging.
An example of the exception to the “food cost pricing” rule is shown by determining the raw food cost of hot tea. The raw food cost for a tea bag and cup of hot water is about $0.05. If this was multiplied by a factor of 2.5, the result would only be $0.13. Following the lead of other dining establishments, this menu item might be priced instead at $1.50 to have a normal market value without being overpriced.