An over-the-counter prescription is a wish
The steak costs 28 euros because that’s what it costs at the place next door. You have a rough idea of how much the meat, sauce, and side dish cost this week. The supplier raised prices, but the menu stayed the same. The profit margin will be lost because “it was a busy weekend.”
A calculation that sales actually follow
The recipe specifies the ingredients and quantities. Food cost is calculated based on the purchase price and selling price, not on an estimate. When a delivery note changes the price of an ingredient, you know which dish is no longer profitable before you spend a week selling it at a loss.
The POS system sells the exact same item that the cost calculation recognizes. There aren’t two names for a single dish—one on the menu and another in inventory.
- Recipe linked to the inventory card
- Food cost based on price, not on a hunch
- Changes in purchase price are visible on the dish
- Sales and ingredient write-offs go hand in hand
