Free download
Cafe recipe costing template
A spreadsheet that works out what each drink, bake or sandwich costs you to make, the gross profit (GP) it earns, and the price that would hit your target. It comes with a worked flat white and five blank recipes.
Opens in Excel, Numbers and Google Sheets (File, Import). Free, no sign-up.
Flat white, worked example
| Beans, 18 g of a £22 kilo | £0.40 |
| Milk, 180 ml of £1.30 for 2 litres | £0.12 |
| Cup and lid, £9 for 100 | £0.09 |
| Cost to make one | £0.61 |
| £3.40 without 20% VAT | £2.83 |
| Gross profit | £2.22 · 78% |
How to fill it in
Fill in the yellow cells. The cost of each line, the GP and the target price work themselves out.
Pack price
What you pay for the pack, from the invoice. Use the price without VAT if you're VAT registered.
Pack size
How much is in it, in the unit you measure with: 1000 for a 1 kg bag of beans, 2000 for 2 litres of milk, 100 for a sleeve of cups.
Used per item
How much goes into one: 18 g for a double shot, 180 ml of milk for a flat white, 1 cup.
Menu price and VAT
The price customers pay, and the VAT in it: 20% for hot drinks and anything eaten in, 0% for most cold takeaway food.
Tips for costing cafe recipes
- Cost each size separately. A large latte uses more milk and a bigger cup, so it rarely makes the same GP as a small one.
- Cost the extras too. Oat milk, an extra shot or a syrup each have their own cost, and the surcharge should cover it.
- Include the packaging for takeaway. Cups, lids, bags and napkins add up.
- Allow for waste. Most cafes pour away 5 to 10% of steamed milk, and a few cakes go unsold.
- Re-cost when a supplier price changes, not once a year.
For how to set prices from these numbers, see how to price coffee by size and what's a good gross profit for a cafe.
Tired of updating the spreadsheet?
Quokka costs every recipe from your supplier invoices and updates them when a price changes. Join the waitlist for early access.