Pricing guide · Dishes & meals
How to price tacos: cost per taco and what to charge
Tacos are a food-truck favourite because tortillas are cheap and portions are easy to control. Protein is the main cost.
Example batch cost
$11.29
Cost per taco
$0.94
Price at 30% food cost
$3.14
Tacos cost calculator
Chicken tacos
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: Chicken tacos
This batch makes 12 tacos. Here is where the money goes, most expensive first:
| Ingredient | Used | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken thighs | 700 g (+10% waste) | $5.44 |
| Salsa | 200 g | $1.60 |
| Corn tortillas | 12 piece | $1.20 |
| Cotija cheese | 100 g | $1.20 |
| Limes | 3 each | $0.90 |
| Cilantro (bunch) | 0.5 piece | $0.50 |
| Taco seasoning | 15 g | $0.22 |
| Onion | 100 g (+10% waste) | $0.22 |
| Total for 12 tacos | $11.29 | |
That is $0.94 per taco. At a 30% food cost the price should be at least $3.14. Across the usual 28–35% range for dishes & meals, that is $2.69 (at 35%) to $3.37 (at 28%) per taco — before your time and overheads.
What drives the cost of tacos
- •Protein (beef, fish and shrimp cost more than chicken)
- •Cheese, guacamole and sour cream
- •Trim and cooking loss on meat
Tips for pricing tacos
- ✓Add waste to meat for trim and cooking loss
- ✓Price premium proteins higher — don’t use one price for all tacos
- ✓Charge for guac and extra cheese
Sell single tacos, plates of 3, and family packs.
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 tacos prices up to date
Save this recipe in the free CostMyDish app. Your ingredient prices live in one Library — when chicken thighs goes up, every recipe that uses it recalculates, and you see which items need a new price.
Get the free appCommon questions about pricing tacos
How much does it cost to make one taco?+
In our example (Chicken tacos, makes 12 tacos), the ingredients cost $11.29 in total, or $0.94 per taco. Enter your own prices in the calculator for your exact cost.
What food cost % should I use for tacos?+
For dishes & meals most businesses aim for 28–35%. At 30%, the example works out to at least $3.14 per taco before labour and overheads.
How much does it cost to make a taco?+
With the example prices, a chicken taco costs just under a dollar. Steak and shrimp cost more.
How should a food truck price tacos?+
Cost each protein separately, then price plates of 2–3 so the food cost stays around 25–32%.
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