First, establish the baseline.
Assume these are sales from the same four-week period. Ingredient costs use a consistent recipe and portion. Selling prices exclude tax. Actual work would verify invoices, yields, discounts, modifiers, and the sales period before relying on the figures.
| Dish | Price | Ingredient cost | Contribution / order | Orders | Total contribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House burger | $20.00 | $7.00 | $13.00 | 200 | $2,600.00 |
| Roasted mushrooms | $18.00 | $5.00 | $13.00 | 70 | $910.00 |
| Steak entrée | $32.00 | $15.00 | $17.00 | 100 | $1,700.00 |
Then, decide what to investigate.
01 / HOUSE BURGER
Protect the volume. Check the portion.
At these volumes, the burger contributes the most ingredient dollars. Verify portions, yield, and waste before making a change that could affect demand.
02 / ROASTED MUSHROOMS
Same dollars per order. Fewer orders.
This dish has the same ingredient contribution per sale as the burger. Look at placement, guest appeal, and staff recommendations. Check prep demands before promoting it.
03 / STEAK ENTRÉE
A higher cost percentage isn’t the whole story.
The steak leaves more ingredient dollars per sale than either dish. We still need to understand station time, waste, and how guests respond to its price.
Now the steak’s portion cost rises by $1.10.
Before: $32.00 − $15.00 = $17.00 ingredient contribution per order.
With the higher cost: $32.00 − $16.10 = $15.90 per order. At the same 100 orders, that is $110 less contribution over the period.
One option to test: A $33.00 price would leave $16.90 per order at the new ingredient cost. At an unchanged 100 orders, contribution would be $1,690, still $10 below the original baseline. Order volume is an assumption, not a prediction.
The recommendation is a test, not a blanket price increase.
- Confirm the new invoice, yield, and portion cost with the kitchen.
- Compare absorbing the increase, adjusting the price, and changing the recipe or portion without compromising the dish.
- If testing the $33 price, record the change date and tell the team what is changing.
- Review order counts, total ingredient contribution, waste, guest feedback, and kitchen execution over a comparable period. Account for traffic, promotions, and other changes before drawing conclusions.
What a real review adds.
Your full menu, actual sales mix, verified costs, prep requirements, and the context of your restaurant. You receive a working item-level sheet, prioritized recommendations, and a plan for checking what happens next.
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