Lunch combos look simple, but they hide three costs that move fast: soup portions, salad weight, and packaging.
If any one of those drifts, your best-selling lunch set becomes your lowest-margin item.
Quick Summary
- Build combos from separate item costs
- Lock soup ladle size and salad weight
- Price delivery combos separately if packaging is significant
- Use a clean price ladder for lunch sets
Where Lunch Combos Leak Margin
- Soup ladle size changes by shift
- Salad bowl weights are not measured
- Sandwich portions vary by prep person
- Packaging cost is ignored on to-go orders
Combo Pricing Formula
Combo cost = Soup cost + Salad cost + Sandwich cost + packaging
Combo food cost % = Combo cost / Combo priceExample: Soup + Half Sandwich + Salad (Example)
- Soup (8 oz): $0.85
- Half sandwich: $1.90
- Side salad (140g): $1.10
- Packaging: $0.35
Combo cost: $4.20
At a 30% target food cost, a safe price floor is:
4.20 / 0.30 = $14.00Portion Standards That Protect Margin
- Soup: one ladle size for all lunch combos
- Salad: fixed weight per bowl
- Sandwich: set protein ounces and bread size
Lunch Combo Checklist
- Soup, salad, and sandwich costs are tracked separately
- Packaging is included for to-go orders
- The combo price is above your floor price
- Portions are trained and documented
Do This Now
- Standardize all portion sizes in grams or ounces
- Calculate food cost for your top 5 menu items
- Set up a weekly price check for key ingredients
- Document your current yield percentages
- Create a pricing review calendar for the next 12 months
Related Guides
- Sandwich & Deli Cost Guide
- US Menu Pricing Calculator
- US Menu Price Rounding Guide
- US Delivery App Pricing Guide
Want Faster Cost Updates?
KitchenCost tracks portion standards and updates combo margins when costs change.
If you want lunch pricing that stays accurate, try KitchenCost.