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Know Your Menu Margins Before You Print

CafeFrame's margin calculator shows you the true profit on every dish — ingredient cost, overhead, and markup — in seconds.

Calculate Now Table Turnover Tool

Live Example

Flat White — Margin Snapshot

Ingredient cost $0.83

Selling price $4.50

Gross margin 81.6%

Contribution per unit $3.67

Based on 4,217 calculations run this month.

Menu Margin Calculator

Enter your item's costs and selling price to see exact margin, markup, and contribution.

Results

Total Cost—

Gross Profit—

Gross Margin %—

Markup %—

Price ex-Tax—

Net Profit per Item—

How It Works

Three steps to a sharper menu strategy.

Enter Your Costs

Input ingredient, labour, and overhead costs per menu item. All fields accept decimals.

Set Your Price

Enter the selling price and applicable tax rate. The tool strips tax for a clean comparison.

Read Your Margins

See gross margin, markup percentage, and net profit per unit — then adjust to hit your targets.

From the Blog

Practical guides for café owners and managers.

Pricing

How to Price a Café Menu Without Guessing

Most operators price by feel. Here is a structured method that protects margin.

Read →

Operations

Shift Management That Reduces Labour Waste

A look at how smart scheduling decisions directly improve your EBITDA.

Read →

Service

Service Speed and Revenue: The Numbers Behind Faster Tables

Shaving two minutes per table can add thousands to annual revenue.

Read →

What Operators Say

Feedback from 183 café owners who use CafeFrame regularly.

"CafeFrame showed me that my house-made pasta was selling at a 31% margin. Within a week I repriced and the difference was clear on the P&L."

Margaret Knowles

Owner, The Grind & Press, Bristol

"The table turnover tool gave us a concrete target. We went from 2.1 to 2.9 turns per lunch service within six weeks."

Roland Hatch

General Manager, Copper & Bloom, Edinburgh

"No fluff, no signup. I run the margin tool every time I consider adding a new item. It has saved me from bad decisions twice."

Sarah Fielding

Head Barista & Co-Owner, Lune Lane, Melbourne

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about menu costing and this tool.

What is a good gross margin for a café?

Most café operators target 65–75% gross margin on food items and 70–85% on beverages. The exact figure depends on your rent, labour, and local market pricing.

How is gross margin different from markup?

Gross margin is profit divided by selling price. Markup is profit divided by cost. A 75% margin equals a 300% markup — they measure the same gap from different angles.

Should I include labour in item costing?

Yes. Items that require skilled preparation time (e.g., brunch plates) carry higher labour costs than simple beverages. Excluding labour understates your true cost.

Do you store any of my data?

No. All calculations run locally in your browser. CafeFrame does not transmit or store any of the numbers you enter.

Can I use this tool for a restaurant or bar?

The calculator works for any food-service business. The margin and markup logic applies equally to restaurants, bars, and canteens.

How often should I review my menu pricing?

At minimum, review pricing quarterly or whenever a key ingredient cost shifts by more than 10%. Regular reviews prevent margin erosion from unnoticed cost creep.