FAQ

General#

What is PlateCost?#

PlateCost is an AI-powered food cost intelligence platform. It extracts data from your food distributor invoices and gives you real-time visibility into ingredient costs, recipe pricing, and spending trends.

Do I need to integrate with my POS system?#

No. PlateCost works entirely from invoices. Upload a PDF, take a photo, or forward an email — no POS integration required.

Which distributors does PlateCost support?#

PlateCost works with any food distributor. The AI is trained on invoice formats from all major distributors including US Foods, Sysco, Gordon Food Service, Ben E. Keith, Performance Food Group, and hundreds of regional suppliers.

How long does setup take?#

Under 15 minutes. Sign up, upload your first invoice, and you'll have cost data immediately.

Pricing#

How much does PlateCost cost?#

Contact us for current pricing at platecost.io (opens in a new tab) or book a demo (opens in a new tab) for a walkthrough.

Is there a free trial?#

Yes. New accounts include a trial period so you can evaluate the platform with your own data.

Invoice Processing#

How accurate is the AI extraction?#

Accuracy is typically 95%+ on the first invoice from a new vendor, improving to 99%+ after several invoices as the AI learns the format. You can review and correct any extraction errors.

What file formats are supported?#

PDF, JPG, PNG, HEIC (phone photos), CSV, and Excel files. You can also forward invoice emails directly.

Can I upload historical invoices?#

Yes. Use the bulk upload feature to process up to 50 invoices at once. Historical data lets you see price trends from day one.

Security#

Is my data secure?#

Yes. PlateCost uses bank-level encryption (AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit). Your data is isolated per account and never shared with other customers.

Where is my data stored?#

Data is stored in AWS data centers in the United States, encrypted at rest.

Can I export my data?#

Yes. You can export invoices, items, recipes, and cost reports in CSV or JSON format at any time from Settings > Data Export.

For Distributors#

How does white-labeling work?#

PlateCost runs under your brand — your logo, colors, and domain. Your restaurant customers see it as your platform. We handle setup during onboarding.

Can my sales team see customer data?#

Yes. Distributor accounts include a sales dashboard showing account health, competitive pricing intelligence, and upsell opportunities. Data access is scoped to your customers only.