How it works
How to price a burger, step by step
- Cost the beef. Patty weight in ounces ÷ 16 × your delivered price per pound. A 6 oz patty at $5.20/lb is $1.95.
- Cost everything else. Bun, cheese, produce, sauce, the side, and packaging if it goes out the door. In the example, that's $1.85.
- Add them up for the plate cost: $1.95 + $1.85 = $3.80.
- Divide by your target food cost. $3.80 ÷ 0.28 = $13.57. Round to a menu-friendly $13.75.
- Check it against the market. Compare with what independents near you charge (see the medians alongside).
What a beef increase does to your price
Two numbers per cell: the extra beef cost per burger (to hold your dollars per burger), and the menu increase needed to hold a 28% food cost.
| Patty | +$0.50/lb beef | Menu change at 28% | +$1.00/lb beef | Menu change at 28% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 oz patty | +$0.12 | +$0.45 | +$0.25 | +$0.89 |
| 6 oz patty | +$0.19 | +$0.67 | +$0.38 | +$1.34 |
| 8 oz patty | +$0.25 | +$0.89 | +$0.50 | +$1.79 |
Formula: added cost = patty oz ÷ 16 × change in $/lb. Price change to hold food cost = added cost ÷ target food-cost %.
Where beef prices are now
U.S. retail ground beef averaged $6.79/lb in September 2026 (BLS), +7.4% from a year earlier. USDA's wholesale 81% lean ground beef averaged $3.42/lb for Oct 2026 (through Oct 15). Your delivered price will differ, so use your invoice. See the ground beef price page for the full trend.