Mexican concepts can look margin-safe because rice, beans, and tortillas are efficient. The leak usually happens elsewhere: protein over-portioning, avocado spikes, and delivery packaging that never gets priced correctly.
This guide gives a practical US workflow: yield-based protein costing, one taco plate example, and a short weekly loop you can run without rebuilding the entire menu.
Quick Summary
usableProteinOz = purchasedProteinOz x yieldRateproteinCostPerPortion = (proteinCaseCost / usableProteinOz) x portionOzitemCost = protein + base + toppings + packagingmenuPrice = itemCost / targetCostRate
Separate contribution targets for dine-in, pickup, and delivery. Channel blending hides which sales are actually profitable.
Why 2026 Mexican Menu Pricing Needs Weekly Checks
USDA and BLS publications continue to show movement in food inputs across categories. Produce-sensitive add-ons, especially avocado-based items, can shift faster than a monthly pricing cycle.
When you run high volume at low prep times, even small portion drift can erase profit. Weekly recosting of top sellers is usually enough to catch that early.
Core Formula (US Mexican Restaurant Operations)
usableProteinOz = purchasedProteinOz x yieldRate
proteinCostPerPortion = (proteinCaseCost / usableProteinOz) x portionOz
itemCost = protein + tortillasOrBase + toppings + packaging
menuPrice = itemCost / targetCostRateIf denominator values are 0, return 0 and correct the recipe card before repricing.
Worked Example: 3-Taco Plate (Phoenix, AZ)
Assumptions:
- Chicken case cost:
$96for40 lbraw - Yield after trim/cook:
82% - Portion per taco:
3.0 oz - Three tacos per plate
- Tortillas, onion/cilantro, salsa, lime:
$1.04per plate - Packaging allocation (mixed dine-in/takeout):
$0.42per plate - Target cost rate:
31%
Step 1) Convert purchased protein to usable ounces:
purchasedProteinOz = 40 x 16 = 640 oz
usableProteinOz = 640 x 0.82 = 524.8 ozStep 2) Cost protein portion:
proteinCostPerOz = 96 / 524.8 = $0.183
proteinPerPlate = 9.0 oz x 0.183 = $1.65Step 3) Build full item cost:
itemCost = 1.65 + 1.04 + 0.42 = $3.11Step 4) Build menu price lane:
menuPrice = 3.11 / 0.31 = $10.03Operationally, that supports a plate lane near $9.99-$10.49 before delivery-channel adjustments.
Local Execution: Los Angeles Taqueria vs Suburban Texas Fast Casual
| Context | Typical pressure point | First move |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles taqueria corridor | Heavy promo competition and late-night labor | Keep a protected core menu with strict portion tools |
| Suburban Texas fast-casual | High family combo mix and packaging load | Build bundle pricing from channel-specific packaging assumptions |
20-Minute Weekly Mexican Cost Loop
- Update chicken, beef, avocado, and cheese purchase prices.
- Recalculate top 10 SKU recipe cards with current yields.
- Audit protein scoop weights during one peak service.
- Compare channel contribution after packaging and commissions.
- Adjust one control: portion spec, add-on pricing, or channel lane.
Related Guides
KitchenCost helps taqueria and fast-casual teams keep recipe cost cards, channel pricing, and weekly checks aligned.