Yield Percentage

Yield percentage is your kitchen’s true north for ingredient efficiency—an eye-opening metric that tells you exactly how much usable food you’re getting from what you buy. It separates what you think you’re paying from what you’re actually serving on the plate.

Let’s say you scored a whole chicken for ₹250/kg. Feels like a steal, right? But after removing the bones, skin, and trim, you’re only left with 650g of usable meat. Suddenly, your cost per kg of usable product jumps to ₹385. That’s yield percentage in action—and why it’s the unsung hero of food costing.

How to Calculate Yield Percentage

It’s simple math with big implications:

(Usable Weight ÷ Purchased Weight) × 100 = Yield Percentage

If you buy 5 kg of whole fish and end up with 3 kg of fillets, your yield is 60%. That means 40% of your spend went into trim, waste, or the stockpot—valuable info for both purchasing and pricing decisions.

Why Yield Percentage Matters

Not all ingredients are created equal, especially after prep:

• Vegetables typically yield 70–90%, depending on the variety and season.

• Whole chickens? Around 65%.

• Fish can range wildly from 35% to 75%, depending on species and prep method.

• Even onions can swing in yield due to moisture loss or outer layer spoilage.

If you’re not tracking these, you could be underpricing your dishes without realizing it.

Smart Kitchens Use Yield Data to…

• Choose between whole vs. pre-prepped ingredients

• Refine menu pricing based on actual product cost

• Train kitchen staff on efficient cutting techniques

• Make better vendor and seasonal purchasing decisions

A costlier pre-cut bell pepper with a 95% yield might actually save more than a cheaper whole one with a 70% yield and lots of prep time.

Yield Percentage = Hidden Profits

This isn’t just a back-of-house detail—it’s a profit lever:

• Accurately price your dishes

• Reduce food waste

• Improve staff prep practices

• Optimize inventory purchases

• Maintain portion size and margins

Train Your Team, Watch Your Margins Grow

Yield percentage isn’t fixed. It improves with:

A skilled prep cook can stretch every rupee of ingredient cost just a little further—which adds up fast across hundreds of dishes.

Final Thought

If you’re basing your pricing on what you bought instead of what you actually serve, you’re leaving money on the cutting board. Understanding yield percentage helps you control costs, price smart, and grow margins—without changing a single thing on the plate.