When it comes to managing food costs, many kitchens rely on a number that tells only part of the truth: the invoice price.

It’s understandable. Comparing products by price per pound or per case is fast, familiar and shows up clearly on paper. But in reality, the number on the box is just one part of the equation. What really impacts your bottom line is what makes it (or doesn’t make it) onto the plate and how much of that product brings value to your operation.

If you’re only comparing invoice prices, you could be making decisions based on incomplete information. Here’s a breakdown of three overlooked factors that impact food costs and a look at how a little extra visibility can lead to smarter decisions and better control.

1. Servings Per Case: What You’re Really Getting Before Prep Begins

It’s easy to assume a case is a case. You’re busy, the weight checks out, and the price looks good. But if you’re not counting the actual portions in the case, you could be paying for unusable product or weight.

For many pre-portioned products like bacon, sausage patties or pepperoni, the invoice lists price by the pound or case. But what really drives cost is how many servings you can actually pull from that box.

Even more important is consistency. Some products are engineered to hit a targeted slice count every time, not a vague range. That kind of predictability helps you plan accurately, control portions and avoid surprises.

When you divide the invoice price by what you’re actually able to serve, you’ll see which number really counts: the cost per serving.

With your next order, perform an audit so you know what you’re getting in the case. Because if it’s not a true count, it’s a guess—and when it comes to managing your kitchen and your margins, guessing isn’t a successful strategy.

2. Yield Loss: What You Lose After You Buy

Here’s the simplest way to think about it: Price is what you pay. Cost is what you get.

Every time you prep a product, especially protein, you lose some of it. That’s yield loss—the weight you lose from purge, trim, cooking, cooling and breakage. It adds up fast, and if you’re not accounting for it, your “cheaper” product might actually be costing you more.

Take a boneless pork loin as an example. On paper, it may be priced attractively. But by the time it’s trimmed, cooked, cooled and sliced, you’re often looking at a 30–40% reduction in usable product. That means what you thought was a $2.15/lb product might actually cost closer to $3.58/lb on the plate.

That gap between invoice and actual plated cost is where money gets lost. And it adds up quickly across multiple proteins and menu items.*

*Pricing used is for example purposes only.

3. Labor: Put the Work Where It Matters

Labor may not directly affect your food yield, but it absolutely impacts your food cost.

If you have staff and time specifically dedicated to the preparation of certain products, those labor costs could be factored into the true cost of the product. And while you may not be cutting hours or reducing headcount, it’s worth asking: “Are we working as efficiently as possible?”

Products with labor already built in, like pre-sliced, pre-cut, pre-mixed, fully cooked, trimmed, or pre-battered, can help reduce overall cost and put precious minutes (or even hours) back into tasks that drive more value.

In lean-labor environments, every task matters. When you’re able to reduce prep time or complexity, it creates flexibility—whether that’s freeing up staff to focus on execution, streamlining your station or scaling your operation more efficiently.

Even a small shift in labor allocation can improve consistency and reduce stress on your team.

Better Calculations = Better Decisions

For chefs, kitchen managers and food-and-beverage leaders, this kind of visibility creates a real advantage. It moves purchasing decisions away from short-term sticker shock and toward long-term control. And in tight-margin environments, that can be the difference between staying on target or slipping off course.

It also doesn’t require a full spreadsheet or complex system. In most cases, just a quick calculation—dividing the cost by usable weight or number of portions—can tell you what you really need to know.

The Proof is Always on the Plate

Every kitchen has to juggle flavor, consistency, labor savings and guest satisfaction. But no matter your operation’s goals, understanding the true cost of what you’re serving helps you make smarter, more confident decisions.

In the end, the most important numbers aren’t on the box, they’re on the plate.