What does a kilo of peeled potatoes really cost you?
Your spreadsheet doesn’t lie: the hidden costs of preparing vegetables quietly eat into a restaurant’s margin. Enter your own figures and see them in black and white.
Your figures
Real cost of 1 kg of peeled potatoes
- Ends up on the plate–
- Value of peelings in the bin–
- Peeling labour–
- Utilities and waste–
- Hidden cost per week–
- Hidden cost per year–
The calculator gives an estimate based on the figures you enter. The starting values are examples.
What is left of 10 kg?
The 100% potato
In your recipe costing you enter the price per kilo from the invoice. But that kilo never reaches the plate in full. Part of it goes in the bin after peeling, and before the rest is ready someone has to wash it, peel it, cut out the eyes and clean up afterwards.
Ready to Eat vegetables change the maths. You buy 10 kg of finished product and exactly 10 kg ends up on the plates. No peelings, no waiting, no weight loss during cooking. Your portion cost is fixed and predictable to the cent.
Where the money goes
- raw produce: you only pay for what ends up on the plate
- waste removal: peelings and packaging
- water and waste water
- electricity for the peeler
- staff hours spent peeling
- buying, servicing and repairing a peeler
- floor space for a peeling room that could earn money otherwise
Each of these costs looks harmless on its own. Together they can raise the price of a kilo of peeled potatoes by dozens of percent. The calculator above shows you exactly how much in your kitchen.
Peeled or Ready to Eat?
Peeled raw vegetables are for kitchens that want to cook their own way, without a peeling room. Ready to Eat is for those who also want to save cooking time and have a portion ready in minutes.
Food cost questions
How do I calculate the food cost of a dish?
Food cost percentage is the cost of the ingredients in one portion divided by the net menu price, times 100. If the ingredients cost €2.50 and you sell the dish for €10 net, your food cost is 25%.
What is a good food cost?
Many restaurants aim for roughly 25–35%, but it depends on the concept, prices and fixed costs. More important than a single number is a stable, predictable portion cost.
Why does peeling inflate food cost?
Because spreadsheets usually use the price per kilo of raw produce, not per kilo that actually reaches the plate. Peeling loss, labour, water, electricity and waste removal raise the real cost even though they do not appear in the recipe.
Where do I get the figures for the calculator?
Weigh a sack before and after peeling to find your loss. Track labour time for a week. The hourly cost is the gross wage plus employer contributions.