Food yield percentage: formula, chart and calculator
By mise · Updated September 29, 2026
Quick answer: yield percentage = edible portion (EP) weight ÷ as-purchased (AP) weight × 100. True cost per usable unit = AP price ÷ yield. Example: 10 lb of salmon that gives 7.2 lb of portions has a 72% yield, so $12/lb AP costs $16.67 per usable lb.
Recipes use trimmed, cooked, portioned food; invoices charge for the whole thing. Yield is the bridge between the two, and ignoring it is one of the most common reasons theoretical food cost is too optimistic.
The formula
Typical yields (check your own)
| Ingredient | Typical yield |
|---|---|
| Whole salmon to fillet | 55–65% |
| Beef tenderloin, trimmed | 65–75% |
| Whole chicken, raw to cooked meat | 40–50% |
| Onions, peeled | 85–90% |
| Romaine lettuce | 70–80% |
| Pineapple | 50–55% |
| Potatoes, peeled | 80–85% |
Run your own yield test: weigh what you receive, prep it as you normally do, weigh the usable part. Repeat three times and average. Put the result in the recipe cost.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate yield percentage?
Divide the usable (edible portion) weight by the as-purchased weight and multiply by 100.
What is a yield test?
Weighing an ingredient as received, prepping it normally and weighing the usable result, to find its real yield.