Pizza Dough Yield & Food Cost Variance Calculator
Work out dough ball yield after scaling loss, topping portion creep, and theoretical vs actual food cost. Every formula and assumption is listed under the calculator. Change any default that does not match your venue.
Interactive calculator
Dough yield, portion creep & food-cost variance
Dough batch
Toppings & food cost
Total dough
17.10 kg
Dough balls
64
428 g lost to scaling
Flour cost / ball
$0.250
Cheese creep / pizza
15 g
13.6% over spec
Creep cost / month
$819
Food-cost variance / month
$2,800
4.0 pts actual vs theoretical
Formula & assumptions
Baker's percentages: total dough = flour × (1 + hydration% + salt% + yeast%). Usable dough = total × (1 − scaling/bench loss%). Balls = floor(usable ÷ ball weight).
Portion creep cost = (actual − spec grams) ÷ 1000 × cheese price per kg × pizzas per week; monthly = weekly × 52 ÷ 12.
Food-cost variance = monthly food sales × (actual food cost% − theoretical food cost%). Theoretical comes from recipe costing; actual = (opening stock + purchases − closing stock) ÷ food sales.
Assumptions you control: all prices and the loss % (dough stuck to tubs, scraps, test balls). Fermentation weight loss from CO₂/evaporation is small and folded into the loss %. Defaults are illustrative, not benchmarks.
General information only. Not payroll, legal or financial advice. Check figures with your accountant or payroll provider.