Choose the operating support that fits your next decision, from a focused audit through ongoing financial visibility.
Program analyst: Plato — AI-assisted analysis keeps every audit fast and consistent.
Use the sample food-cost view to frame what recipe-level margins can reveal before selecting the program support.
A five-point gap can turn a menu that looks busy into one that quietly underperforms.
Sample finding — illustrative only. Not a client result.
| Menu item | Theoretical cost | Current invoice cost | Est. monthly impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signature Pasta | 29% | 34% | $620 |
| Grilled Salmon | 31% | 38% | $840 |
| House Burger | 27% | 32% | $510 |
| Seasonal Salad | 24% | 29% | $290 |
Recipe margin bleed — illustrative examples only, not a client menu or client invoice data.
Current invoices meet current recipes: invoices, recipes, yields, portions and menu pricing in one clear view of what every plate costs today.
Put the findings into practice: repriced items, standardized recipes, portion controls and purchasing adjustments your kitchen can maintain.
Monthly recipe-cost refreshes, a dashboard and a review call, plus quarterly menu re-engineering as ingredient prices shift.
A food-cost and catering reporting cadence built for committee review, with board-ready reporting between reviews.
Independent restaurant owners already pay consultants $700–$2,500 per recipe or menu item for costing work. Full menu-engineering projects run $2,500–$100,000 depending on complexity.
PlateProfit’s $2,500 flat audit covers the full menu—what a single recipe can cost elsewhere, or a fraction of a larger menu-engineering engagement.
External price comparison is market context only and subject to final validation.
Talk through your menu with us and we’ll confirm scope, timeline and the invoices and recipes we need to begin.