US Pizza Slice Cost Guide (2026): Dough, Cheese, and Slice Pricing Math

Pizza by the slice looks simple. The math is not. Dough weight creeps up. Cheese gets heavy. One extra ounce per pie turns a good week into a bad week.

This guide is a U.S.-focused pizza slice cost calculator. It uses public price benchmarks, portion math, and pricing examples for cheese and pepperoni slices.

Quick Summary

• Slice margins are won on dough and cheese weight
• Price slices from per-pie cost, not gut feel
• Count boxes, plates, and reheats as real costs
• Reprice faster in 2026 to keep ahead of inflation

U.S. Ingredient Benchmarks (Retail)

These are BLS U.S. city average prices. Use them as a sanity check, then plug in your supplier invoices.

Note: Mozzarella is the real pizza cheese, but cheddar gives a published benchmark. Use your mozzarella invoice for final pricing.

Slice Shop Portion Standards

Write these into recipes and train to them. This is where most margin leaks start.

• Dough ball weight per pie (oz)
• Sauce ounces per pie
• Cheese ounces per pie
• Pepperoni ounces per pie
• Slices per pie (6, 8, 10)
• Box or plate cost per pie

A slice shop without weights is a charity.

Example: 16-Inch, 8-Slice Cheese Pie

Portion assumptions (example):

• Flour: 12 oz
• Sauce: 4 oz
• Cheese: 10 oz
• Box: $0.50
• Dough add-ons (oil, yeast, salt): $0.12
• Sauce add-ons (spices, garlic, sugar): $0.07

Cost Breakdown per Pie

Cost per Slice

Slice cost = Pie cost / Slices per pie
Slice cost = $5.39 / 8 = $0.67

At a 28% food cost target:

Slice price = $0.67 / 0.28 = $2.41

If your rent is high, price at a lower food cost target (22-26%) to protect your fixed costs.

Pepperoni Slice Add-On

Pepperoni is usually the highest-selling slice. Price it separately.

Example add-on:

• Pepperoni: 2.5 oz per pie
• Example supplier cost: $0.50/oz

New pie cost: $5.39 + $1.25 = $6.64

Pepperoni slice cost: $6.64 / 8 = $0.83

At a 28% food cost target:

Pepperoni slice price = $0.83 / 0.28 = $2.96

Round to $2.99 or $3.25 depending on your market.

Slice vs Whole Pie Pricing

Slices should be higher per-unit than full pies. That is how you cover reheats and waste.

If your slices are too cheap, people stop ordering full pies.

Slice + Drink Combo Math

Combos are margin traps if the drink is underpriced. Use the same formula:

Combo price = (Slice cost + Drink cost) / Target food cost %

Example:

• Slice cost: $0.67
• Drink cost: $0.40
• Target food cost: 30%

Combo price = ($0.67 + $0.40) / 0.30 = $3.57

Round to $3.99.

Reheat and Waste Reality

Slice shops lose profit on:

• Reheated slices that get tossed
• Overproduction during slow hours
• Discounted end-of-day pies

Build a waste buffer into pricing. Even 5% waste moves your real cost.

Price Outlook (Why You Reprice Faster in 2026)

USDA projects food-away-from-home prices to rise again in 2026. If you only update prices once a year, you will bleed margin month after month.

Set a reminder every quarter: check cheese and flour, then adjust slice prices by $0.25-$0.50.

Margin Leak Checklist

• Dough ball weight is consistent
• Cheese is weighed, not eyeballed
• Sauce ounces are fixed
• Slice count per pie is consistent
• Box/plate cost is included
• Pepperoni has its own price

If any are “no,” fix those first.

Related Guides

• Pizza Cost Calculator
• US Menu Pricing Calculator
• Food Cost Ratio Guide
• Prime Cost Guide
• US Restaurant Portion Control Guide

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Sources

• FRED — Flour, white, all purpose (APU0000701111)
• FRED — Tomatoes, field grown (APU0000712311)
• FRED — Cheddar cheese, natural (APU0000710212)
• USDA ERS — Food Price Outlook, Summary Findings