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The Daily Insight

What is a good cost of goods sold ratio?

Author

James Craig

Published Feb 19, 2026

Standard ratio range (%) As a general rule, your combined CoGS and labor costs should not exceed 65% of your gross revenue – but if your business is in an expensive market, you should aim for a lower percentage.

How do we calculate cost of goods sold COGS )?

Or, to put it another way, the formula for calculating COGS is: Starting inventory + purchases – ending inventory = cost of goods sold. No arcane exercise in accounting, you’ll subtract the cost of goods sold from your revenue on your taxes to determine how much you made in profits – and how much you owe the feds.

What is the amount of cost of goods sold when?

Cost of goods sold (COGS) refers to the direct costs of producing the goods sold by a company. This amount includes the cost of the materials and labor directly used to create the good. It excludes indirect expenses, such as distribution costs and sales force costs.

What is cost of goods sold percentage?

Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) as a Percentage of Revenue measures the direct cost attributed to the production of products sold (i.e., materials and labor) relative to the total revenue generated by the company over the same period of time.

What is the average COGS for a restaurant?

Industry standards dictate restaurant CoGS fall between 20% and 40%, usually higher on food and lower at the bar. By calculating CoGS weekly, you can order inventory more accurately and take measures to control inventory costs before they start biting into your profit.

How do restaurants track COGS?

How to Calculate Cost of Goods Sold for Your Restaurant

  1. What is the Cost of Goods Sold Formula?
  2. Beginning Inventory + Purchased Inventory – Ending Inventory = Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)
  3. Cost of Goods Sold = Beginning Inventory + Purchased Inventory – Ending Inventory.
  4. Cost of Goods Sold = $9,000.

What happens when you debit COGS?

Cost of Goods Sold is an EXPENSE item with a normal debit balance (debit to increase and credit to decrease). Even though we do not see the word Expense this in fact is an expense item found on the Income Statement as a reduction to Revenue.