US Seafood Boil Cost Guide: Price Shrimp, Crab, and Combo Bags

Seafood boils look simple. A bag, some seafood, seasoning, and butter. But the cost structure is brutal if you price by gut feel.

Shell-on yields, mixed proteins, and market swings mean you can lose margin without realizing it.

This guide is a U.S.-focused seafood boil cost calculator. Use it to price shrimp, crab, and combo bags with confidence.

Quick Summary

• Cost seafood boil bags by edible yield, not by raw weight
• Build a boil base (seasoning + butter + aromatics) as a sub-recipe
• Price combos using the highest-cost protein as your anchor
• Reprice monthly when seafood markets move

Why Seafood Boil Pricing Is Tricky

1. Shell-on weight is misleading.
   • You pay for shells, not just meat.
2. Mixed proteins hide the cost leader.
   • Crab or lobster can quietly dominate the bag cost.
3. Boil base and butter are real costs.
   • Spices and butter can add $1+ per bag.
4. Portions are visual.
   • Guests notice every missing crab leg.
5. Seafood prices swing fast.
   • Menu prices need more frequent checks.

The Core Seafood Boil Formulas

Edible cost per oz = Purchase price / (Raw lbs x Yield % x 16)
Bag cost = Seafood portions + boil base + sides + packaging
Food cost % = Bag cost / Menu price

Your biggest lever is yield %. Measure it once per protein and update quarterly.

2026 Market Reality (U.S.)

NOAA reports 19.7 lb of per-capita seafood consumption in 2022. Demand is steady, but price volatility stays high.

USDA ERS projects food-away-from-home prices up 4.6% in 2026, which means seafood boil menus need regular price reviews.

Yield Planning Benchmarks (Start Here, Then Measure)

These are planning benchmarks. Your real yields may differ based on supplier and prep method.

Yield formula:

Yield % = Edible meat weight / Raw purchase weight

Example: Combo Bag for Two

Menu idea: 1 lb shrimp + 1 lb snow crab + 1/2 lb mussels + sides

Example supplier prices (not retail):

• Shrimp: $6.80/lb
• Snow crab: $9.90/lb
• Mussels: $3.20/lb

Cost Breakdown (Example)

Pricing Targets

• At 33% food cost → $22.05 / 0.33 = $66.82
• At 36% food cost → $22.05 / 0.36 = $61.25

Suggested menu range: $59-$69 for a two-person combo bag.

Build-Your-Bag Pricing Rules

When guests build their own bag, keep pricing simple:

1. Anchor the price to your highest-cost protein.
2. Charge per lb with clear increments.
3. Add boil base as a fixed line item (don’t hide it).

Example:

Boil Base as a Sub-Recipe

Boil seasoning and butter are easy to underestimate. Batch-cost them once, then apply per bag.

Example boil base batch:

If you are not charging for this, your margins vanish quickly.

Portion Standards That Protect Margin

• Shrimp count per lb (16/20 vs 21/25 changes cost)
• Crab cluster weight per order
• Mussel count per lb
• Butter ladle size
• Sausage slice weight

Portion drift is silent and constant. Lock it down.

Weekly Seafood Boil Cost Checklist

1. Update seafood invoices
2. Re-run yield tests for one protein
3. Audit boil base batch yields
4. Review top 5 bag prices
5. Adjust if any key item moves >5%

How KitchenCost Helps Seafood Boil Shops

KitchenCost lets you build seafood recipes with yield % and batch costs. Price combo bags fast and reprice when markets move.

• Store yield % by protein
• Track boil base as a sub-recipe
• Lock portion sizes per bag
• Recalculate menu prices in seconds

Want to stop guessing? Try KitchenCost.

Related guides:

• Food Cost Ratio Guide
• Loss Rate Guide
• Prime Cost Guide
• Sushi Cost Guide
• Poke Bowl Cost Guide
• Catering Cost Guide
• Menu Engineering Guide
• Inventory Count Checklist

Sources

• NOAA Fisheries - Sustainable Seafood (per-capita consumption)
• USDA ERS Food Price Outlook: Summary Findings (Jan 2026)