Pricing guide · Dishes & meals
How to price burgers: cost per burger and what to charge
Burgers live or die on beef cost. Cost the burger alone first, then add fries and drinks as separate items or a combo.
Example batch cost
$10.65
Cost per burger
$2.66
Price at 30% food cost
$8.88
Burgers cost calculator
Cheeseburger (150 g patty)
Enter your price to see food cost % and profit.
The app keeps your ingredient prices. When butter goes up, every dish that uses it updates — no re-typing.
Worked example: Cheeseburger (150 g patty)
This batch makes 4 burgers. Here is where the money goes, most expensive first:
| Ingredient | Used | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Ground beef | 600 g | $6.60 |
| Burger buns | 4 piece | $1.75 |
| Cheddar slices | 80 g | $0.72 |
| Tomato | 150 g (+10% waste) | $0.67 |
| Lettuce (head) | 0.25 piece | $0.50 |
| Burger sauce | 60 ml | $0.24 |
| Onion | 80 g (+10% waste) | $0.18 |
| Total for 4 burgers | $10.65 | |
That is $2.66 per burger. At a 30% food cost the price should be at least $8.88. Across the usual 28–35% range for dishes & meals, that is $7.62 (at 35%) to $9.52 (at 28%) per burger — before your time and overheads.
What drives the cost of burgers
- •Beef blend and patty weight
- •Buns (brioche costs more)
- •Cheese, bacon and premium toppings
Tips for pricing burgers
- ✓Weigh patties — 10 g extra per burger adds up over a week
- ✓Cost combos (burger + fries + drink) as their own way to sell
- ✓Price bacon, extra patties and cheese as add-ons
Sell the burger alone, as a combo, and with paid add-ons.
Don’t forget your time and overheads
Food cost % only covers ingredients. Your menu price also has to pay for kitchen labour, rent, energy, card and delivery-app fees — which is why most restaurants keep food cost around 28–35%.
Keep your burgers prices up to date
Save this recipe in the free CostMyDish app. Your ingredient prices live in one Library — when ground beef goes up, every recipe that uses it recalculates, and you see which items need a new price.
Get the free appCommon questions about pricing burgers
How much does it cost to make one burger?+
In our example (Cheeseburger (150 g patty), makes 4 burgers), the ingredients cost $10.65 in total, or $2.66 per burger. Enter your own prices in the calculator for your exact cost.
What food cost % should I use for burgers?+
For dishes & meals most businesses aim for 28–35%. At 30%, the example works out to at least $8.88 per burger before labour and overheads.
How much does it cost to make a burger?+
With the example prices, a cheeseburger costs a few dollars before fries. Beef is most of it.
How do I price a burger combo?+
Cost the burger, fries and drink separately, add them up, then price the combo so its food cost stays near your target.
Ready to cost your next dish?
Download CostMyDish free on iPhone or Android. Type what you’re making, add ingredients with what you paid, and see your cost and a selling price in about 2 minutes.
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