Chicken tenders feel simple. Breading, frying, and dips turn “simple” into margin leaks. A few ounces off per order becomes thousands per month.
This guide is a U.S.-focused chicken tender cost calculator. It uses public price benchmarks, portion math, and pricing examples.
Quick Summary
- Chicken weight per order decides your profit
- Breading and oil absorption are real costs
- Sauce cups must be priced as line items
- Baskets need their own pricing math, not guesses
Why Chicken Tender Margins Leak
- Raw chicken weight creeps up.
- A “heavier scoop” quickly turns a 30% food cost into 40%.
- Breading waste is ignored.
- Over-dredging and double-coating adds real cost.
- Oil absorption is underestimated.
- Fresh oil costs more than most owners think.
- Sauce cups multiply.
- One extra ranch per ticket can wipe out the basket margin.
- Baskets are underpriced.
- Fries and drinks hide the tender cost problem.
U.S. Price Benchmarks (Retail, City Average)
These BLS/FRED benchmarks are retail. Use them as directional signals, then plug in your supplier costs.
| Item | Latest U.S. city average | Unit cost | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast, boneless | $4.153/lb (Dec 2025) | $0.26/oz | Core tender cost |
| Flour, white, all purpose | $0.554/lb (Dec 2025) | $0.03/oz | Breading base |
| Eggs, grade A, large | $2.712/dozen (Dec 2025) | $0.23/egg | Breading binder |
Price Outlook (Plan for Repricing)
USDA ERS reports food-away-from-home prices rose 4.1% in 2024 and 3.8% in 2025, with a 4.6% increase forecast for 2026. If you price tenders once a year, your margins quietly shrink.
Portion Standards to Lock In
Write these into recipes and train to them:
- Raw chicken ounces per order
- Pieces per order (4, 5, 8)
- Breading amount per batch (oz)
- Egg wash per batch
- Oil absorption per order (oz)
- Sauce cups per order
- Packaging cost per order
Example 1: 5-Piece Tenders (Snack Box)
Portion assumptions:
- Chicken breast: 6 oz raw
- Flour: 1 oz
- Egg wash: 0.5 egg
- Frying oil: $0.18 (example)
- Sauce cup: $0.15 (example)
- Packaging: $0.20 (example)
Cost Breakdown
| Item | Portion | Unit Cost | Line Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 6 oz | $0.26/oz | $1.56 |
| Flour | 1 oz | $0.03/oz | $0.03 |
| Egg wash | 0.5 egg | $0.23/egg | $0.12 |
| Frying oil | 1 portion | $0.18 (example) | $0.18 |
| Sauce cup | 1 cup | $0.15 (example) | $0.15 |
| Packaging | 1 set | $0.20 (example) | $0.20 |
| Total tender cost | $2.24 |
Price Targets
| Target Food Cost % | Menu Price |
|---|---|
| 28% | $8.00 |
| 30% | $7.50 |
| 32% | $7.00 |
If your market cannot support $7–$8 tenders, reduce chicken ounces before discounting price.
Example 2: 8-Piece Tenders Basket
Portion assumptions:
- Chicken breast: 10 oz raw
- Flour: 1.5 oz
- Egg wash: 0.75 egg
- Frying oil: $0.25 (example)
- Sauce cup: $0.20 (example)
- Fries: $0.45 (example)
- Packaging: $0.30 (example)
Cost Breakdown
| Item | Portion | Unit Cost | Line Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | 10 oz | $0.26/oz | $2.60 |
| Flour | 1.5 oz | $0.03/oz | $0.05 |
| Egg wash | 0.75 egg | $0.23/egg | $0.17 |
| Frying oil | 1 portion | $0.25 (example) | $0.25 |
| Sauce cup | 1 cup | $0.20 (example) | $0.20 |
| Fries | 1 portion | $0.45 (example) | $0.45 |
| Packaging | 1 set | $0.30 (example) | $0.30 |
| Total basket cost | $4.02 |
Price Targets
| Target Food Cost % | Menu Price |
|---|---|
| 28% | $14.50 |
| 30% | $13.50 |
| 32% | $12.75 |
Build a Price Ladder
A ladder makes price updates easier to accept.
| Tier | Example | Target Food Cost | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 4-piece snack | 25–28% | High-margin entry item |
| Standard | 5-piece core | 28–32% | Most popular anchor |
| Premium | 8-piece basket | 30–35% | Higher ticket + add-ons |
Add-On Pricing That Protects Margin
If you charge $0.50 for an extra sauce cup but it costs $0.25, that add-on is not worth it.
Use this rule:
Add-on price = Add-on cost ÷ Target food cost %Example:
Extra sauce cup cost = $0.25
Target food cost = 30%
Add-on price = 0.25 ÷ 0.30 = $0.83Round to $0.79 or $0.99.
Common Leak Checklist
- Do you weigh raw chicken ounces per order?
- Is breading portioned by weight, not “eyeballing”?
- Are sauce cups counted and priced separately?
- Do you track oil usage per batch?
- Are baskets priced independently from single orders?
If any are “no,” fix those before you change prices.
Related Guides
- Chicken Restaurant Cost Guide
- US Chicken Sandwich Cost Guide
- US Menu Pricing Calculator
- Food Cost Ratio Guide
- Prime Cost Guide
- US Portion Control Guide
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