Korean BBQ looks simple. Meat, a grill, and side dishes. But KBBQ is one of the most margin-sensitive restaurant models in the U.S.
Why? Because your core product is meat, your portions are visual (guests see every slice), and your side dishes quietly add up.
This guide is a U.S.-focused Korean BBQ cost calculator. Use it to price a-la-carte sets and all-you-can-eat (AYCE) menus with confidence.
Quick Summary
- Cost KBBQ by raw meat weight + cooked yield + trim loss
- Banchan and sauces must be costed as sub-recipes
- AYCE pricing only works if you control average meat ounces per guest
- Reprice monthly when beef and pork move
Why Korean BBQ Costing Is Different
- Meat is 60-75% of your plate cost.
- Small portion creep hits hard.
- Trim loss and cook loss stack.
- Thin slicing + fat render = lower usable yield.
- Banchan is cheap per item, expensive in total.
- Six sides x 200 guests = real dollars.
- AYCE shifts the risk to you.
- Guests can out-eat your margin if portions are not controlled.
- Table-level fuel costs are real.
- Charcoal, butane, or gas per table is easy to ignore.
The Core KBBQ Cost Formulas
Usable meat cost per oz = Purchase price / (Raw lbs x Yield % x 16)
Plate cost = Sum of meat portions + banchan + sauces + lettuce + rice + fuel
Food cost % = Plate cost / Menu priceYield % includes trim loss and cook loss. Measure it once per cut and update quarterly.
2026 Price Pressure (U.S.)
USDA ERS projects beef and veal prices up 9.4% in 2026, and food-away-from-home prices up 4.6%. That means KBBQ menus need more frequent price reviews than they did pre-2020.
If you are still pricing from last year, your margin is already shrinking.
Typical Yield Planning (Start Here, Then Measure)
These are planning benchmarks, not rules. Run a quick yield test for your own cuts.
| Cut | Example yield after trim + cook | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Beef short rib (LA galbi) | 70-78% | Bone and fat render |
| Beef brisket (thin slice) | 78-84% | Thin slices shrink fast |
| Pork belly | 72-80% | Fat render and shrink |
| Pork shoulder (marinated) | 75-82% | Marinade loss varies |
Yield formula:
Yield % = Cooked usable weight / Raw purchase weightExample: A-La-Carte KBBQ Set for Two
Menu idea: Brisket + pork belly + marinated short rib + banchan + rice
Example supplier prices (not retail):
- Brisket: $8.50/lb
- Pork belly: $4.40/lb
- Short rib: $10.80/lb
Cost Breakdown (Example)
| Item | Raw Portion | Yield % | Cooked Portion | Line Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brisket | 10 oz | 82% | 8.2 oz | $5.18 |
| Pork belly | 10 oz | 76% | 7.6 oz | $2.79 |
| Short rib (marinated) | 12 oz | 74% | 8.9 oz | $7.02 |
| Marinade | 3 oz | 100% | 3 oz | $0.60 |
| Banchan (6 items) | per set | - | - | $1.20 |
| Lettuce + perilla | 6 oz | 100% | 6 oz | $0.90 |
| Rice (2 bowls) | 12 oz cooked | - | - | $0.60 |
| Sauces + ssamjang | per set | - | - | $0.45 |
| Table fuel | per set | - | - | $0.40 |
| Total set cost | $19.14 |
Pricing Targets
- At 32% food cost → $19.14 / 0.32 = $59.80
- At 35% food cost → $19.14 / 0.35 = $54.69
Suggested menu range: $54-$62 for this set.
AYCE Pricing: The Break-Even Formula
AYCE KBBQ lives or dies on average meat ounces per guest.
Break-even meat oz = (Menu price x Target food cost %) / Meat cost per ozExample:
- AYCE price: $31.99
- Target food cost: 38%
- Average meat cost: $0.48/oz
$31.99 x 0.38 = $12.16
$12.16 / $0.48 = 25.3 oz of meat per guestIf guests average 26+ oz, your margin collapses. If you keep the average at 20-22 oz, you win.
How to Control AYCE Without Upsetting Guests
- Lead with pork and chicken in the first round
- Use pre-portioned trays for second and third rounds
- Limit high-cost items to one round
- Include free banchan but portion sauces
Banchan and Sauce Costing (Don’t Guess)
Banchan is not free. It is just hidden.
Example banchan batch
| Item | Batch cost | Portions | Cost per portion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kimchi | $18.00 | 30 | $0.60 |
| Bean sprouts | $6.00 | 24 | $0.25 |
| Pickled radish | $8.50 | 35 | $0.24 |
If you serve 6 banchan items, $0.20-$0.35 each turns into $1.20-$2.10 per table.
Portion Standards That Protect Margin
- Beef slices per order (oz)
- Pork belly per order (oz)
- Marinade oz per lb of meat
- Banchan scoop size (oz)
- Sauce ladle size (oz)
If staff free-hands these, food cost rises without you noticing.
Weekly KBBQ Cost Checklist
- Update beef and pork prices
- Re-run yield tests on one high-cost cut
- Review AYCE meat ounces per guest
- Audit banchan batch yields
- Adjust set pricing if any key cut moves >5%
How KitchenCost Helps KBBQ Operators
KitchenCost lets you build meat recipes with yields, batch-cost banchan, and price full KBBQ sets in one place.
- Store yield % by meat cut
- Track marinade and sauce batches as sub-recipes
- Lock portion sizes per menu item
- Update one ingredient price and reprice your whole menu
Stop guessing and price KBBQ with confidence. Try KitchenCost.
Related guides:
- Food Cost Ratio Guide
- Loss Rate Guide
- Prime Cost Guide
- Steakhouse Cost Guide
- BBQ Restaurant Cost Guide
- US Restaurant Portion Control Guide
- Menu Engineering Guide
- Catering Cost Guide