Percy Plate is a web-based food cost calculator for food trucks, caterers, cottage food producers, and small restaurant owners. It lets you enter your ingredients and what you pay for them, build recipes, and instantly see the cost per serving and recommended sell price based on your target food cost percentage.

Yes. Percy Plate has a free plan that lets you create up to 10 ingredients and 5 recipes to calculate food cost. A paid subscription ($14.99/month or $119.99/year) unlocks unlimited ingredients and recipes plus inventory tracking, revenue reporting, menu engineering, Prime Cost, AI invoice scanning, FDA nutrition facts labels, FDA ingredient labels, and label printing.

How does Percy Plate calculate food cost?

You enter each ingredient, the unit you buy it in (lb, oz, gallon, etc.), and what you pay per unit. When you build a recipe, Percy Plate converts the recipe quantities to your purchase units, calculates the cost of each ingredient used, and divides by the number of servings to give you a cost per serving. It also shows the food cost percentage and a suggested sell price.

Can Percy Plate generate nutrition facts labels?

Yes. Percy Plate can look up nutrition data from the USDA FoodData Central database for each ingredient, then automatically calculate the per-serving nutrition for a recipe. It generates an FDA-format Nutrition Facts panel that can be printed directly to thermal labels (Brother, Dymo, Zebra) or Avery sheet labels in sizes 2x4 inch and 3.33x4 inch.

Can Percy Plate generate an ingredient list label?

Yes. Percy Plate generates an FDA-compliant ingredient label that lists ingredients by weight (heaviest first), automatically detects the top 9 FDA allergens, and includes your business name and net weight. Labels can be printed to thermal printers or Avery sheet labels.

What label printers work with Percy Plate?

Percy Plate supports thermal label printers including Brother QL series (DK-1202 2x4 inch labels), Dymo LabelWriter (30334 and similar), and Zebra desktop printers. It also supports Avery 5163 (2x4 inch) and Avery 5164 (3.33x4 inch) sheet labels for standard desktop printers.

Who is Percy Plate designed for?

Percy Plate is designed for small food business owners including food truck operators, cottage food producers, caterers, small restaurant owners, and anyone who sells homemade or prepared food and needs to track ingredient costs, price their menu, and produce product labels.

Does Percy Plate work on mobile?

Yes. Percy Plate is a web application that works on any device with a modern browser, including phones and tablets. You can look up ingredient costs, update recipe quantities, and check your food cost percentage from anywhere.

How do you calculate food cost percentage?

Food cost percentage = (ingredient cost per serving ÷ menu price) × 100. For example, if your ingredients cost $3.50 and you sell the dish for $12.00, your food cost percentage is 29.2%. Most food businesses target 28–35%. To set a price from a target, divide ingredient cost by your target: $3.50 ÷ 0.30 = $11.67 suggested price at 30% food cost.

What is a good food cost percentage for a small food business or bakery?

Most food businesses target a food cost percentage between 28% and 35%. Bakeries and cottage food producers often achieve lower food cost percentages (20–28%) because flour, sugar, and butter are inexpensive relative to retail prices. Full-service restaurants tend to run 30–35%. The right target depends on your labor costs, overhead, and pricing power in your market.

How do I calculate the cost per serving of a recipe?

Add up the ingredient cost for the full batch, then divide by the number of servings. For each ingredient, multiply the quantity used by the cost per unit (converting units as needed). For example: 8 oz flour at $0.89/lb = $0.89 ÷ 16 × 8 = $0.44. Sum all ingredient costs, then divide by servings. Percy Plate does this calculation automatically once you enter your ingredient prices and recipe quantities.

How does yield percentage affect recipe costing?

Yield percentage accounts for trim loss, cooking shrinkage, and waste. If you buy 1 lb of chicken but only 0.75 lb is usable after trimming, your yield is 75%. To get accurate food costs, divide the as-purchased cost by the yield percentage: $4.00/lb ÷ 0.75 = $5.33 per usable pound. Percy Plate lets you set a yield percentage (AP to EP) on any ingredient so your recipe costs reflect what you actually use.

What is the best recipe costing software for a small food business?

The best recipe costing software for a small food business depends on your needs. Percy Plate ($14.99/month) is built specifically for cottage food producers, food trucks, caterers, and small restaurants — it includes recipe costing, menu pricing, FDA ingredient labels, nutrition facts labels, inventory tracking, and revenue reporting. Competitors like meez start at $24/month and scale to $199/month. Square and Toast do not include recipe costing natively.

Is there free recipe costing software for home bakers or cottage food businesses?

Yes. Percy Plate has a free plan that includes recipe food cost calculation and menu pricing suggestions. The free plan lets you create up to 10 ingredients and 5 recipes. For unlimited recipes, FDA labels, nutrition facts, and inventory tracking, the paid plan is $14.99/month or $119.99/year. No credit card is required to start.

How do I price homemade baked goods to make a profit?

Start with your ingredient cost per batch, then divide by the number of units to get ingredient cost per item. Add packaging (boxes, bags, labels) as a per-unit cost. Then set a target food cost percentage — most cottage food bakers aim for 25–35% — and divide your total ingredient cost by that percentage to get a minimum price. For example: $0.85 ingredient cost per cookie ÷ 0.30 = $2.83 minimum price at 30% food cost. Factor in your time and overhead to ensure you are actually profitable, not just covering ingredients.

What are the labeling requirements for cottage food products?

Most states require cottage food labels to include: (1) the product name, (2) your name and home address, (3) a list of ingredients in descending order by weight, (4) a disclosure statement such as 'Made in a home kitchen not inspected by the state or local health department,' and (5) allergen declarations for any of the 9 major FDA allergens present. Some states also require net weight. Requirements vary by state — check your state's cottage food law for specifics. Nutrition Facts panels are generally not required for cottage food operations below a certain revenue threshold.

Do I need a nutrition facts label on my cottage food products?

Most cottage food producers are exempt from FDA Nutrition Facts label requirements under the small business exemption (fewer than 100 full-time employees and fewer than 100,000 units sold annually). However, you must still list ingredients in descending order by weight and declare all major allergens. Some states impose additional requirements. When in doubt, check your state's cottage food law and the FDA's small business labeling exemptions.

What allergens must I disclose on a homemade food label?

FDA requires disclosure of 9 major food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame. These must be declared on all food labels, including cottage food products — even if a full Nutrition Facts panel is not required. The standard format is a 'Contains:' statement after the ingredient list, for example: 'Contains: Wheat, Eggs, Milk.' Percy Plate detects all 9 allergens automatically from your ingredient names.

How do I create a nutrition facts label for homemade food?

To create a Nutrition Facts label for homemade food: (1) look up the nutrition data for each ingredient using the USDA FoodData Central database, (2) calculate the per-serving amounts for calories, fat, carbohydrates, protein, sodium, and other nutrients, (3) format the panel according to FDA guidelines with serving size, servings per container, and daily value percentages. Percy Plate automates this — it looks up USDA nutrition data for your ingredients, calculates per-serving totals, and generates a print-ready FDA-format Nutrition Facts label for thermal or sheet labels.

How do I list ingredients in the correct order on a food label?

FDA regulations require ingredients to be listed in descending order by weight — the ingredient present in the greatest amount by weight must appear first. For example, if your muffin contains more flour than sugar, flour must be listed first. Sub-ingredients (like those in a chocolate chip) must be listed in parentheses immediately after the component. Percy Plate sorts ingredients automatically by weight when generating your label.

What information is required on a homemade food product label?

A complete homemade food label generally requires: (1) the name of the food, (2) the net quantity (weight or count), (3) an ingredient list in descending order by weight, (4) allergen declarations for all 9 major FDA allergens, (5) your business name and address, and (6) for cottage food specifically, a state-required disclosure statement such as 'Made in a home kitchen not inspected by the state health department.' Nutrition Facts panels are usually optional for small cottage food producers below certain revenue thresholds.

Percy Plate vs Recipe Cost Calculator

RCC charges up to $107/mo. Percy Plate charges $14.99.

Recipe Cost Calculator is solid recipe costing software. But Percy Plate includes inventory tracking, revenue reporting, actual vs. theoretical food cost, and FDA ingredient labels — features RCC doesn't offer at any tier — for less than RCC's cheapest plan.

Percy Plate

$14.99

per month, flat

Recipe costing · Inventory · AVT report · Revenue · FDA labels

Recipe Cost Calculator

$24–107

per month, 3 tiers

Recipe costing · Planning add-on · Labels +$12.50/mo · No AVT

Feature comparison

✓ Included~ Partial / add-on / top tier only✗ Not available

Feature	Percy Plate $14.99/mo	RCC $24–107/mo
Monthly price¹	$14.99/mo	$24.17 – $107.50/mo
Recipe costing	✓	✓
Food cost % tracking	✓	✓
Ingredient cost tracking	✓	✓
Multiple suppliers	✓	✓
Actual vs. theoretical food cost²	✓	✗
Revenue tracking & daily closeouts³	✓	✗
Tax summary / Schedule C-ready COGS⁴	✓	✗
Automated margin alerts⁵	✓	~
Nutrition facts label⁶	✓	~
FDA ingredient label (sorted by weight)⁷	✓	✗
Allergen highlighting⁸	✓	~
Cottage food / home kitchen support⁹	✓	~
Inventory tracking¹⁰	✓	~
Production planning & purchase orders¹¹	✗	~
Invoice scanning (AI OCR)¹²	✓	~
Built for single-location & small operators¹³	✓	~

Not ready to decide? Email yourself this comparison.

Try it yourself — cost this recipe

Edit the ingredients below. No account needed.

IngredientQtyCost ($)

Servings:

Cost / serving

$0.12

Suggested price (30% food cost)

$0.41

Free plan includes

✓ 10 ingredients (5 saved at a time)
✓ 5 recipes (2 saved at a time)
✓ Basic recipe costing
✓ Saved across devices

Pro unlocks ($14.99/mo)

+ Unlimited ingredients & recipes
+ Inventory tracking & COGS reports
+ AI invoice scanning

See full plan comparison →

Convinced? Start free — see how your own recipes cost out.

No credit card required · Still deciding? Compare Recipe Cost Calculator against every other tool on the full comparison page.

¹RCC charges $24.17/mo (billed annually) for their Core plan, rising to $107.50/mo for inventory features. Percy Plate includes inventory, revenue reporting, and FDA labels at a single $14.99/mo flat price.

²Percy Plate includes a full AVT report — the same report restaurant chains pay $300+/month for. RCC does not offer actual vs. theoretical food cost analysis at any tier.

³Percy Plate tracks daily revenue and calculates your real food cost percentage against actual sales. RCC is a costing-only tool with no revenue tracking.

⁴Percy Plate generates a tax-ready COGS summary your accountant can use for Schedule C. RCC does not produce tax reports.

⁵Percy Plate sends alerts when ingredient costs change and tracks cost trends over time. RCC offers profitability warnings on recipes but does not monitor cost trends or send margin alerts.

⁶Percy Plate includes nutrition facts panels at no extra cost. RCC charges an additional $12.50/mo add-on for nutrition labels.

⁷Percy Plate generates FDA-compliant ingredient statements with ingredients automatically sorted by descending weight and 9 major allergens highlighted in bold. RCC does not generate ingredient labels.

⁸RCC offers allergen tagging on recipes. Percy Plate goes further: it automatically bolds the 9 major allergens within ingredient labels per FDA requirements.

⁹Percy Plate is built with cottage food producers in mind — FDA labels, allergen disclosure, and label printing for farmers markets and home-based sales. RCC serves restaurants and food businesses but is not tailored to cottage food compliance.

¹⁰RCC includes raw materials inventory, FIFO lot tracing, and finished goods tracking — but only on their top $107.50/mo tier. Percy Plate includes inventory at $14.99/mo.

¹¹RCC offers production planning, shopping lists, and purchase orders on their $40.83/mo+ tiers. Percy Plate does not currently offer production planning — this is RCC's strongest advantage for bakeries and manufacturers.

¹²Percy Plate includes AI invoice scanning at no extra cost — snap a photo of a supplier invoice and it auto-fills your purchase log and matches ingredients. RCC charges $1 per invoice on any plan.

¹³Both tools serve small businesses, but Percy Plate is specifically designed for food trucks, cottage food producers, caterers, and home-based operators at a price that fits. RCC's feature-rich tiers can cost 10x more than Percy Plate.

What Percy Plate has that RCC doesn't

📊

Actual vs. Theoretical

The AVT report shows where food cost leaks happen — the same report restaurant chains pay $300+/month for. RCC doesn't offer it at any price.

💰

Revenue & Tax Reporting

Daily revenue tracking and a Schedule C-ready COGS summary for your accountant. RCC is costing-only with no revenue or tax features.

🏷️

FDA Ingredient Labels

Ingredient statements sorted by weight with 9 allergens bolded per FDA rules. RCC charges $12.50/mo just for nutrition facts — and doesn't do ingredient labels at all.

Honest take: which one should you use?

Choose Percy Plate if:

You want actual vs. theoretical food cost reporting
You need revenue tracking and tax-ready COGS summaries
You need FDA ingredient labels with allergen highlighting
You're a food truck, cottage food producer, or caterer
You want one flat price with no tiers or add-ons

RCC may be worth it if:

You run a bakery or small manufacturer that needs production planning
You need purchase orders and batch production scheduling
You need FIFO lot tracing and finished goods tracking
Your revenue justifies $40–107/month in software spend

Common questions

What is Recipe Cost Calculator (RCC)?

Recipe Cost Calculator (RCC) is a recipe costing and food management platform at recipecostcalculator.net. It offers three tiers — Core ($24.17/mo), Core + Planning ($40.83/mo), and Core + Planning + Inventory ($107.50/mo), all billed annually. Add-ons include nutrition labels ($12.50/mo), multi-user access ($7.50/mo), and AI invoice processing ($1/invoice).

What does Percy Plate do that RCC doesn't?

Percy Plate includes three things RCC does not offer at any price: (1) an Actual vs. Theoretical food cost report — the same report chains pay $300+/month for, (2) revenue tracking with daily closeouts to calculate your real food cost percentage, and (3) FDA-compliant ingredient labels with ingredients sorted by weight and 9 major allergens highlighted in bold. Percy Plate also generates a tax-ready COGS summary for Schedule C filing.

What does RCC do that Percy Plate doesn't?

RCC's strongest advantage is production planning (shopping lists, purchase orders, batch production scheduling) available on their Planning tier ($40.83/mo). RCC also offers FIFO lot tracing and finished goods tracking on their top tier. For bakeries and small manufacturers with complex production workflows, RCC's planning tools may be worth the premium. Note that Percy Plate now includes AI invoice scanning at no extra cost, while RCC charges $1 per invoice.

How much cheaper is Percy Plate than RCC?

Percy Plate at $14.99/mo is 59% cheaper than RCC's Core plan ($24.17/mo), 76% cheaper than RCC's Planning tier ($40.83/mo), and 91% cheaper than RCC's Inventory tier ($107.50/mo). Unlike RCC, Percy Plate has no tiered pricing — inventory, revenue reporting, AVT, and FDA labels are all included in the $14.99 flat price.

Is Percy Plate a good RCC alternative for cottage food businesses?

Yes. If you're a cottage food producer, home baker, or food truck operator, Percy Plate gives you recipe costing, inventory tracking, revenue reporting, AVT analysis, and FDA ingredient labels — all for $14.99/mo. RCC charges extra for nutrition labels and doesn't generate ingredient statements or allergen-highlighted labels at all. Percy Plate also produces tax-ready COGS summaries that RCC does not.

When would RCC be the better choice?

RCC is the better choice if you run a bakery or small manufacturing operation that needs production planning, purchase order generation, or FIFO lot tracing. RCC's $1/invoice AI scanning is also valuable if you process many supplier invoices. If those specific workflows are essential to your operation, RCC's higher tiers may justify the cost.

Everything you need. One flat price.

Recipe costing, inventory tracking, AVT reporting, revenue, and FDA labels — for $14.99/month. No tiers, no add-ons, no per-invoice fees.

$14.99/month · See full pricing →