Pizza margins look great on paper, then disappear in real service. The usual culprits are cheese portion creep, promo deals, and takeaway packaging.
This guide shows how UK pizza shops can keep food cost under control without killing sales.
Quick Summary
- Cost pizzas by dough weight + cheese grams + topping weight
- Cheese is your biggest variable cost
- Deal pricing must still protect margin
- Takeaway boxes, bags, and dip cups are real costs
Why Pizza Margins Slip
- Cheese is over-portioned during rush
- Toppings are not weighed
- Deals are priced too low for the real cost
- Packaging is ignored in delivery math
Core Cost Formula
Pizza cost = Dough + Sauce + Cheese + Toppings + Packaging
Food cost % = Pizza cost / Net menu pricePortion Standards That Work
- Dough: fix dough ball weight by size
- Cheese: grams per pie and per size
- Toppings: separate weight rules for meat vs veg
A 20g cheese over-portion on every pizza can erase the margin on your best seller.
Deal Pricing Without Bleeding Margin
- Price meal deals from the highest-cost pizza in the bundle
- Set a standard dip count (extras are paid)
- Use midweek deals on lower-cost toppings
Takeaway and Delivery Costs
- Pizza boxes, bags, and dip cups belong in every order cost
- Delivery pricing should be a separate tier if fees are significant
- Track food cost against net price (ex VAT)
Checklist
- Dough ball weights fixed by size
- Cheese grams per size set and trained
- Toppings weighed or pre-portioned
- Packaging included in cost
- Deal pricing audited monthly
Do This Now
- Fix your dough ball weight by size and track yield
- Measure cheese in grams per pie and per size (cheese creep kills margin)
- Weigh toppings separately for meat vs veg
- Build deal pricing from the highest-cost pizza in the bundle
- Include boxes, bags, and dip cups in every order cost
Related Guides
- UK menu pricing calculator
- UK menu price review checklist
- Pizza cost calculator
- Recipe costing guide