Shrinkage, trim and loss through waste can have a significant impact on the edible portion cost of items when you cut your own meats, make batch recipes, prepare produce or cook bulk items.  The difference between the edible portion cost and the "as purchased" portion cost must be frequently monitored to ensure proper menu item pricing, employee performance with respect to achieving acceptable yield levels and product quality assurance.  Pricing your menu items based on an incorrect edible portion cost, having employees fail to trim meats properly or receiving inferior products from suppliers that result in reduced yields can all have disastrous effects on your food cost.  To help you keep track of your yield performance, you can use the simple yield calculator in this spreadsheet.