Menu price calculator with GST.
Start from what a dish costs to make and the food cost you want. Get a clean menu price, what the guest pays with GST, and what you keep on every plate.
- Prices with or without GST
- Rounded to ₹5 or ₹10
- Composition scheme too
Menu price before GST = plate cost ÷ target food cost %. A dish that costs ₹90 to make, at a 30% target, should sell for at least ₹300 before GST, or ₹315 with 5% GST added. Round up to a clean price so you never fall below your target.
Find the right price for a dish.
Margin is your price before GST minus the plate cost. Rent, salaries and other costs come out of it.
Example: pricing three dishes
Example plate costs, a 30% target, GST of 5% added on the bill, rounded up to ₹10.
| Dish | Plate cost | Menu price | Guest pays | Food cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veg Biryani | ₹70 | ₹240 | ₹252 | 29.2% |
| Paneer Butter Masala | ₹95 | ₹320 | ₹336 | 29.7% |
| Masala Chaas | ₹12 | ₹40 | ₹42 | 30.0% |
The exact prices for 30% would be ₹233.33, ₹316.67 and ₹40. Rounding up keeps each dish at or under the target.
How it works
- Price you need before GST = plate cost ÷ (target % ÷ 100).
- GST added on the bill: menu price = that price rounded up; the guest pays menu price × (1 + GST rate).
- GST included in the menu price: menu price = price needed × (1 + GST rate), rounded up; your price before GST = menu price ÷ (1 + GST rate).
- Composition scheme: you pay 5% of turnover yourself, so menu price = price needed ÷ 0.95, rounded up.
- Margin per plate = your price before GST (after composition tax, if any) − plate cost.
To check the GST on a full bill, use the restaurant GST calculator. For which rate applies to you, read GST on restaurant food.
Keep your prices right as costs change
Ingredient prices move every month, and a dish priced at 30% food cost can drift to 40% without anyone noticing. Venditas POS keeps a recipe for each dish, takes stock out on every paid bill, and shows each dish’s food cost from your latest purchase prices, so you know when it is time to change a price. Our guide to food cost percentage covers what to do when it creeps up. Venditas costs ₹3 per paid order after 30 days free, with every feature included (see pricing).
Quick answers
How do I price a dish on my menu?
Work out the plate cost first (what the ingredients in one serving cost). Divide it by your target food cost: at 30%, a ₹90 plate cost gives ₹300 before GST. Then round up to a clean price and check the dish still sells at that price.
Should my menu prices include GST?
Both are common. If your prices exclude GST, say so clearly on the menu (for example “GST extra”), and the bill adds it. If they include GST, the bill still has to show the GST that is inside the price. A composition scheme restaurant cannot add GST to the bill at all.
What food cost percentage should I target?
As a rule of thumb many restaurants aim for roughly 25% to 35%. Drinks, breads and starters often run lower and meat or seafood higher, so look at your menu as a whole rather than forcing every dish to the same number.
Why round up instead of to the nearest price?
Rounding down takes you below your target food cost on every plate. Rounding up to ₹5 or ₹10 keeps you at or above your margin, and clean prices are easier for guests to read.
How does the composition scheme change my prices?
Under the composition scheme you pay 5% of your turnover yourself and cannot add GST to the bill. So the menu price has to cover that 5% as well. Pick “Composition scheme” and the calculator adds it for you.
Can Venditas bill menu prices that already include GST?
Yes. In Venditas POS you tick “Menu prices already include GST” and every bill shows the GST inside the price. Recipes in the stock module keep each dish’s food cost up to date. It is free for 30 days, then ₹3 per paid order.
Every feature. ₹3 per order.
Billing, KOTs, kitchen screen, QR ordering, stock and reports, on the phones you already have. First 30 days free, no card.