Yield Calculator
Enter what you bought and what you can actually use. Get your yield %, trim loss and the true cost per usable unit — the number that really drives your food cost.
Your numbers
- Enter the as-purchased weight to calculate yield.
Results
- Yield
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- Trim loss
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- Trim weight
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- Yield cost factor
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- Total purchase cost
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Yield is the share of a product you can use after trimming and prep. The lower your yield, the more each usable pound really costs — because you still paid for the trim.
How to calculate yield
- Weigh as purchased. Record the weight and price of the product the way you bought it (bone-in, untrimmed).
- Weigh what's usable. Trim and prep, then weigh the edible portion you can actually serve or sell.
- Divide. Yield % = usable weight ÷ as-purchased weight × 100.
- Find the true cost. Divide the as-purchased price by the yield to get the real cost of each usable unit.
Worked example
Beef tenderloin: A 10 lb tenderloin at $12/lb trims down to 7 lb usable. Yield is 70%, and the true cost of the usable beef is $17.14/lb — not $12.
Why it matters: Pricing a dish off the $12 as-purchased cost instead of the $17.14 usable cost quietly erases your margin.
Yield FAQ
What is yield percentage?
Yield percentage is the share of a product you can use after trimming and prep, calculated as usable (edible-portion) weight divided by as-purchased weight, times 100.
What is the difference between AP and EP cost?
AP (as-purchased) cost is the price you pay per unit at delivery. EP (edible-portion) cost is the true cost of the usable product after waste — always higher than AP cost when there is any trim loss.
How do I calculate EP cost?
Divide the as-purchased price per unit by the yield percentage (as a decimal). For a $12/lb item at 70% yield: $12 ÷ 0.70 = $17.14 per usable pound.
What is a yield cost factor?
The yield cost factor is as-purchased weight divided by usable weight (or 1 ÷ yield). Multiply your AP price by this factor to get the EP cost.
Why is yield important for food cost?
Menu prices set from the as-purchased cost ignore trim and waste, so your real food cost is higher than you think. Costing from the EP cost protects your margin.
What is a good yield percentage?
It depends on the product — leafy greens may yield 60-70%, while portioned proteins can exceed 90%. Track your own yields and compare batches to spot waste.
Is this calculator free?
Yes — it runs entirely in your browser, needs no account, and your numbers never leave your device.
Want your real yield tracked automatically?
MiseKit turns every weighing into one number: the money your kitchen loses to over-trimming, shrink and write-offs — ranked by item.
See how MiseKit works