Butcher’s Yield Test Template
Weigh a whole cut as it arrives, then every piece it breaks down into. The sheet works out the usable yield, credits trim you can sell or reuse, and gives the true cost per usable pound to cost your menu from.
The CSV opens in Excel, or in Google Sheets with File, Import. Formulas calculate as soon as you enter numbers.
What is on the template
- As-purchased weight and price: the cut as delivered and what you paid per pound. Purchase cost fills in.
- Line, type and weight: one row per piece: type it as cut, trim or waste. Cut weight, trim weight and waste weight add up by type.
- Credit per unit: for trim with a use (stew meat, ground, stock), the value per pound. The trim credit comes off the cost.
- % of AP: each line as a share of the as-purchased weight.
- Results: unrecorded loss, net cost, yield %, cost per usable unit and the cost factor.
How to use it
- Use a normal delivery. Not the best or worst piece you have seen. Record the weight and invoice price per pound.
- Break it down and weigh everything. Weigh each usable cut, each kind of trim and the waste (fat, sinew, bone) separately.
- Credit what you use. Give trim that goes into another dish a value per pound; leave waste at zero.
- Use the cost per usable pound. Cost your menu items from it, and repeat the test when you change supplier or spec.
Example
| Line | Type | Weight (lb) | Credit ($/lb) | Credit ($) | % of AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Filets | cut | 3.9 | 52.0 | ||
| Tips | trim | 1.1 | 8.00 | 8.80 | 14.7 |
| Chain | trim | 0.8 | 4.00 | 3.20 | 10.7 |
| Fat and silverskin | waste | 1.4 | 18.7 |
Result: 52% yield, $12.00 of trim credit, $84.00 net cost and $21.54 per usable pound of filet, a cost factor of 1.683.
Printable blank form
Butcher’s Yield Test Template
Print this page to get the blank form below; the rest of the page is left off.
| Line | Type (cut / trim / waste) | Weight | Credit per unit | Credit | % of AP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAQ
What is a butcher’s yield test?
A test that records the as-purchased weight and cost of a whole cut, weighs everything it breaks down into, credits usable trim and calculates the true cost per pound of the usable product.
What is a cost factor?
Cost per usable pound divided by the as-purchased price per pound. Multiply a future invoice price by it to get the new usable cost without repeating the whole test.
How often should I run a yield test?
When you add a cut to the menu, change supplier or spec, or notice food cost drifting. A few tests per cut give a more reliable average than one.
Can I use the template in Google Sheets?
Yes. Download the CSV and open it in Google Sheets (File, Import) or Excel. The formulas calculate as soon as you enter weights and prices.
Related guide
Food Cost Percentage: Formula, What's a Good %, and How to Lower It
Related free tool
Butcher's Yield Test Calculator
Break a whole cut into usable cuts, trim and waste to get yield %, cost per usable pound and a reusable cost factor. Free template included.
Open calculator