Chicken shops win on volume, but margins vanish when portions drift. Wings, strips, and peri-peri halves all need their own cost rules.
Quick Summary
- Cost chicken by cooked yield and portion weight
- Wings, strips, and halves should be priced as separate tiers
- Chips and sauces must be measured
- Packaging is part of every order cost
Why Chicken Shop Margins Slip
- Portions grow during peak hours
- Sauce cups are unmeasured
- Chips are oversized
- Packaging is ignored
Core Cost Formula
Chicken meal cost = Chicken + Marinade + Sides + Sauce + Packaging
Food cost % = Chicken meal cost / Net menu pricePortion Standards That Work
- Set portion weights for wings, strips, and halves
- Track cooked yield for bone-in chicken
- Build a clear price ladder for combos
Chips and Sauce Control
- Chips should have a fixed scoop size
- Sauce cups should be portioned and priced
- Extra sauces = paid add-ons
Checklist
- Cooked yield tracked weekly
- Portion weights fixed by product
- Chip scoop size trained
- Sauce cups measured
- Packaging included in cost
Do This Now
- Track your cooked chicken yield per batch (raw weight vs cooked portions)
- Set portion weights for wings, strips, and halves (separate tiers)
- Fix your chip scoop size and measure sauce cups
- Build a clear price ladder for combos
- Include packaging (boxes, bags, sauce cups) in every order cost
Related Guides
- UK menu pricing calculator
- UK menu price review checklist
- Restaurant labor cost percentage guide
- Recipe costing guide