Charcuterie boards look premium. That is why they are dangerous.
A little extra cheese or a heavy hand with cured meat quietly erases margin. If you do not weigh portions, you are guessing.
This guide is a U.S.-focused charcuterie board cost calculator. It shows how to standardize weights, control waste, and price boards that feel abundant and still protect profit.
Quick Summary
- Price by total ounces per board, not by how it looks
- Standardize cheese and meat weights per person
- Track trim loss and spoilage on soft cheese and fruit
- Build a pricing ladder for 2, 4, and 8-person boards
- Add packaging and assembly time every time
Why Charcuterie Costing Is Tricky
- Cheese trim and rind loss are real yield loss
- Cured meat stacks fast when portions are not weighed
- Fruit and herbs spoil faster than expected
- Board size changes labor more than it changes cost
- Packaging makes small boards expensive
If you cannot explain every ounce on the board, you cannot control margin.
The Core Cost Formulas
Usable weight = Purchased weight x (1 - trim loss)
Unit cost = Price / Usable weight
Board cost = Sum of (portion weight x unit cost) + packaging
Target price = Board cost / Target food cost %U.S. Price Benchmarks (Retail, City Average)
These are BLS average retail prices via FRED. They are retail, not wholesale. Use them as a sanity check when supplier costs change quickly.
| Item | Latest U.S. city average | Unit cost | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheddar cheese, natural | $5.789/lb (Dec 2025) | $0.36/oz | Core cheese baseline |
| Bacon, sliced | $6.760/lb (Dec 2025) | $0.42/oz | Proxy for cured meats |
| Eggs, grade A large | $2.712/doz (Dec 2025) | $0.23/egg | Deviled eggs add-ons |
Price conversion formulas:
Price per oz = Price per lb / 16
Price per egg = Price per dozen / 12Portion Standards to Lock In
Write these down and enforce them every shift.
- Cheese per person (oz)
- Cured meat per person (oz)
- Fruit per person (oz)
- Nuts per person (oz)
- Crackers per person (oz)
- Dip or jam per board (oz)
- Packaging per board (box + liner + cup)
Standardizing weights is the difference between premium and unprofitable.
Example 1: Small Board for Two
Assumptions (example):
- Cheddar blend: 4 oz at $0.36/oz
- Cured meat mix: 3 oz at $0.42/oz
- Crackers: 2 oz at $0.12/oz
- Fruit: 3 oz at $0.10/oz
- Nuts: 1 oz at $0.30/oz
- Jam: 0.5 oz at $0.25/oz
- Deviled egg: 1 egg at $0.23 + $0.05 garnish
- Packaging: $0.75
Cost Breakdown
| Item | Portion | Unit Cost | Line Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese | 4 oz | $0.36 | $1.44 |
| Cured meat | 3 oz | $0.42 | $1.26 |
| Crackers | 2 oz | $0.12 | $0.24 |
| Fruit | 3 oz | $0.10 | $0.30 |
| Nuts | 1 oz | $0.30 | $0.30 |
| Jam | 0.5 oz | $0.25 | $0.13 |
| Deviled egg | 1 each | $0.28 | $0.28 |
| Packaging | 1 set | $0.75 | $0.75 |
| Total | $4.70 |
Price test:
Target price at 30% food cost = 4.70 / 0.30 = $15.67Rounded menu price: $16
Example 2: Board for Four
Assumptions (example):
- Cheese mix: 8 oz at $0.36/oz
- Cured meat mix: 6 oz at $0.42/oz
- Crackers: 4 oz at $0.12/oz
- Fruit: 6 oz at $0.10/oz
- Nuts: 2 oz at $0.30/oz
- Jam: 1 oz at $0.25/oz
- Pickles + olives: $0.50
- Packaging: $1.10
Cost Breakdown
| Item | Portion | Unit Cost | Line Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheese | 8 oz | $0.36 | $2.89 |
| Cured meat | 6 oz | $0.42 | $2.54 |
| Crackers | 4 oz | $0.12 | $0.48 |
| Fruit | 6 oz | $0.10 | $0.60 |
| Nuts | 2 oz | $0.30 | $0.60 |
| Jam | 1 oz | $0.25 | $0.25 |
| Pickles + olives | 1 set | $0.50 | $0.50 |
| Packaging | 1 set | $1.10 | $1.10 |
| Total | $8.96 |
Price test:
Target price at 30% food cost = 8.96 / 0.30 = $29.87Rounded menu price: $30
Build a Pricing Ladder
Pricing ladders prevent underpriced small boards.
- 2-person board: $16
- 4-person board: $30
- 8-person board: $56
Make the 4-person board your hero. Price the small board higher to cover packaging and labor.
The Hidden Costs You Must Add
- Assembly time per board
- Garnish waste (herbs, micro greens, citrus)
- Packaging and liners
- Last-minute substitutions and remakes
If you build boards during service, the labor cost is real even if it is not on the invoice.
Waste Control That Actually Works
- Pre-portion cheese and meat into deli cups
- Track trim loss per cheese wheel and update yield
- Use a fixed fruit rotation to avoid slow-moving SKUs
- Limit the number of cheeses per board until volume is stable
Waste is the silent killer in board programs.
Price Outlook (U.S.)
USDA ERS publishes a monthly Food Price Outlook. Use it as a trigger to review board pricing when dairy or meat forecasts move.
Pricing Checklist
- Board size defined by ounces, not by eye
- Cheese and meat weights printed on the recipe card
- Packaging cost added to every takeout board
- Prices reviewed quarterly or after supplier changes
FAQ Summary
Short answers live in the FAQ section above. If your team keeps asking the same question twice, turn it into a standard.
Related Guides
- Catering Cost Guide
- Menu Price Review Checklist
- Restaurant Portion Control Guide
- Restaurant Prime Cost Calculator
Sources
- BLS average prices for cheddar cheese (FRED)
- BLS average prices for bacon (FRED)
- BLS average prices for eggs (FRED)
- USDA ERS Food Price Outlook
Try KitchenCost
If you want boards priced in minutes instead of hours, KitchenCost can help. Track ingredient costs, yields, and pricing targets in one place.
Start here: KitchenCost