UK Easter Sunday Roast Takeaway Pricing Guide: Family Packs That Still Make Sense

Quick Summary

• Price meats from cooked yield (20–25% shrink), not raw purchase weight—this is where most operators lose margin
• Keep side sets fixed for each package tier (e.g., “4-person pack” = roast + 2 sides + gravy + dessert)
• Use VAT-inclusive public prices (multiply net price by 1.20 for 20% VAT)
• Schedule pickup in 20-minute slots to avoid bottlenecks and reduce rework

Why This Matters

Easter Sunday takeaway roasts can drive strong weekend demand in the UK. Operators often lose margin by underpricing sides, packaging, and pickup labor. Most lose money on Easter because they allow unlimited side swaps, don’t account for holiday labor premium, and use weak packaging for gravy-heavy orders.

This guide helps you quote family packs with cleaner economics.

At a Glance

• Price meats from cooked yield, not raw purchase weight
• Keep side sets fixed for each package tier
• Use VAT-inclusive public prices
• Schedule pickup waves to avoid bottlenecks

Common Roast Package Mistakes

• Unlimited side swaps that slow prep
• No capacity cap for final pickup window
• Packaging quality too weak for gravy-heavy orders
• Ignoring holiday labor premium

Easter Roast Package Formula

Package price (VAT-inclusive) = ((Food + Packaging + Labor + Holiday buffer) / Target food cost %) x 1.20

Example: 4-Person Easter Roast Pack (Example Numbers)

• Roast proteins and sides (net): GBP 42.80
• Gravy, condiments, desserts (net): GBP 10.40
• Packaging set (net): GBP 6.20
• Labor share (net): GBP 18.60
• Holiday buffer (net): GBP 4.00
• Net total cost: GBP 82.00

Target food cost: 36%

(GBP 82.00 / 0.36) x 1.20 = GBP 273.33

A package around GBP 269 to GBP 279 is usually healthier than a heavily discounted holiday anchor.

Operational Controls for Easter Sunday

• Use fixed side combinations per tier
• Set one final edit deadline for all orders
• Split pickup into 20-minute slots
• Assign one staff member to collection handoff only

Do This Now

• Calculate cooked yield for your roast proteins (20–25% shrink) and set portion size per package tier
• Create 2–3 fixed package tiers (2-person, 4-person, 6-person) with clear side combinations
• Calculate net cost for each tier and multiply by 1.20 to get VAT-inclusive price
• Schedule pickup in 20-minute slots and add them to your preorder form
• Test your pricing on last year’s Easter Sunday sales to see if you hit your target food cost %

Local Data Check (UK)

• ONS Inflation and Price Indices
• GOV.UK VAT Rates
• GOV.UK Bank Holidays

Holiday family packs work best when the menu is tight and the quote is honest. KitchenCost helps you model UK roast packages with VAT-ready pricing.