Omelet bars feel like easy money. Then add-ons start piling up.
Extra cheese, double bacon, veggies, and sauce cups turn a simple egg plate into a margin leak. This guide helps you price omelets in the U.S. with portion math and add-on discipline.
Quick Summary
- Price omelets by egg count + add-ons, not by menu name
- Add-ons should have their own line cost
- Reprice quarterly when eggs or bacon move
- Use a default build (3 eggs + 2 add-ons) and charge for anything beyond it
Why Omelet Bars Leak Margin
- Egg count drifts.
- Cooks add a 4th egg without thinking.
- Add-ons become “free.”
- Double cheese and extra bacon add real cost.
- Veg portions are sloppy.
- Heavy-handed scoops add $0.10-$0.25 per plate.
- Combo pricing hides costs.
- “Build-your-own” without a base price kills consistency.
If add-ons are not priced, you are guessing.
Core Omelet Cost Formulas
Egg cost = Eggs per omelet x Cost per egg
Add-on cost = Portion x Unit cost
Omelet cost = Egg cost + Add-ons + Oil/seasoning + Packaging
Food cost % = Omelet cost ÷ Menu priceU.S. Price Benchmarks (Retail, City Average)
These are BLS average retail prices via FRED. Retail, not wholesale. Use as a sanity check when supplier costs swing.
| Item | Latest U.S. city average | Unit cost | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs, Grade A large | $2.712/dozen (Dec 2025) | $0.23/egg | Core omelet base |
| Bacon, sliced | $6.760/lb (Dec 2025) | $0.42/oz | #1 margin leak |
| Cheddar cheese | $5.789/lb (Dec 2025) | $0.36/oz | Most common add-on |
| Tomatoes, field grown | $1.840/lb (Dec 2025) | $0.12/oz | Veg cost anchor |
Price conversion formulas:
Price per egg = Price per dozen ÷ 12
Price per oz = Price per lb ÷ 16Portion Standards to Lock In
Write these down and train to them:
- Eggs per omelet (default 3)
- Cheese portion (oz)
- Meat add-on portion (oz)
- Veg portion (oz)
- Oil/seasoning (per plate)
Example: 3-Egg Bacon Cheddar Omelet
Assumptions (example):
- Eggs: 3
- Bacon: 2 oz
- Cheddar: 1 oz
- Tomato + onion mix: 2 oz
- Oil/seasoning: $0.08
- Packaging: $0.18
Cost Breakdown
| Item | Portion | Unit Cost | Line Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs | 3 | $0.23/egg | $0.68 |
| Bacon | 2 oz | $0.42/oz | $0.84 |
| Cheddar | 1 oz | $0.36/oz | $0.36 |
| Tomato mix | 2 oz | $0.12/oz | $0.24 |
| Oil/seasoning | 1 portion | $0.08 | $0.08 |
| Packaging | 1 set | $0.18 | $0.18 |
| Total omelet cost | $2.37 |
Target price for 30% food cost:
$2.37 ÷ 0.30 = $7.90Menu price: $7.99-$8.49
Add-On Pricing Rules
- First 2 add-ons included, everything else is paid
- Meat add-ons should be priced higher than veg
- Double cheese is a separate line item
Example add-on prices:
- Extra cheese: +$0.75
- Extra bacon: +$1.25
- Extra veg: +$0.50
Quick Checklist Before You Print Menus
- Default omelet build defined (eggs + add-ons)
- Add-on list priced separately
- Portions trained with scoops or scales
- Eggs and bacon repriced quarterly
Automate It
KitchenCost updates food cost and pricing targets when your egg or bacon price changes. If manual updates are eating your time, automate it with KitchenCost.