Wednesday · April 9 · 2026

Food Cost.

Actual food cost 31.4% — 2.4pp above the 29% target, bleeding $107/day. Ground beef portion drift is the primary driver. Wagyu and brioche buns have secondary pressure.

Food Cost · Today

Above target

31.4%

+2.4ppvs 29% target

$107

/day bleeding

Theoretical

28.9%

Variance

+2.5pp

Target

29%

Target band28–30%

25%40%

14 Days

avg +2.4%

peak +3.1%

28+1.8%

30+1.6%

1+2%

3+3.1%

5+2.2%

7+2.7%

9+2.3%

10+2.5%

Days > 2%

10 / 14

vs yesterday

+0.2pp

02 · Menu Engineering

Matrix. 14 items plotted.

Popularity × contribution margin

Stars

03 ITEMS

Puzzles

04 ITEMS

Plow Horses

04 ITEMS

Dogs

03 ITEMS

Axes split at rank median · featured items labeled · all items hoverable

Strategic lens

Stars

03 items

Promote · protect

Top: Double Cheeseburger$6.45 · 312u

High volume, high margin.

Plow Horses

04 items

Reprice · cut cost

Top: Large Fry$2.85 · 418u

Move volume, weak margin.

Puzzles

04 items

Reposition · push

Top: Chicken Sandwich$5.90 · 67u

Great margin, low pull.

Dogs

03 items

Reformulate · cut

Top: Water Bottle$0.80 · 55u

Underperforming both axes.

03 · 4-Week Trend

Weekly food cost. Target 29%.

31.4%

-0.7ppvs prev wk

4-wk avg

31%

Over target

3 / 4

Direction

+0.8pp

04 · By Category

Cost breakdown. 7 categories.

Paper

MTD Cost

$1,268

% of Total

13.6%

Target

17.5%

Variance

-3.9pp

On track

PaperOn track

$1,268· 13.6% · tgt 17.5%

-3.9pp

Beef

MTD Cost

$3,560

% of Total

38.2%

Target

36%

Variance

+2.2pp

Over

BeefOver

$3,560· 38.2% · tgt 36%

+2.2pp

Fryer

MTD Cost

$1,146

% of Total

12.3%

Target

11%

Variance

+1.3pp

Over

FryerOver

$1,146· 12.3% · tgt 11%

+1.3pp

Dairy

MTD Cost

$1,081

% of Total

11.6%

Target

11%

Variance

+0.6pp

Over

DairyOver

$1,081· 11.6% · tgt 11%

+0.6pp

Bun

MTD Cost

$783

% of Total

8.4%

Target

Variance

+0.4pp

Over

BunOver

$783· 8.4% · tgt 8%

+0.4pp

Produce

MTD Cost

$848

% of Total

9.1%

Target

9.5%

Variance

-0.4pp

On track

ProduceOn track

$848· 9.1% · tgt 9.5%

-0.4pp

Beverage

MTD Cost

$634

% of Total

6.8%

Target

Variance

-0.2pp

On track

BeverageOn track

$634· 6.8% · tgt 7%

-0.2pp

05 · Ingredient Variances

Theo vs actual. 6 bleeding items.

ItemTheoActualΔ$Δ%Suspect

80/20 Ground Beef (4 oz)$1.28$1.74+$0.46+35.9%Portion drift

80/20 Ground Beef (4 oz)

+$0.46

Theo $1.28 → Actual $1.74 · +35.9%

Suspect · Portion drift

Wagyu Patty (3 oz)$2.40$3.10+$0.70+29.2%Vendor price ↑

Wagyu Patty (3 oz)

+$0.70

Theo $2.40 → Actual $3.10 · +29.2%

Suspect · Vendor price ↑

Brioche Bun$0.38$0.48+$0.10+26.3%Waste / stale

Brioche Bun

+$0.10

Theo $0.38 → Actual $0.48 · +26.3%

Suspect · Waste / stale

Canola Oil (per use)$0.12$0.15+$0.03+25.0%Fry oil yield

Canola Oil (per use)

+$0.03

Theo $0.12 → Actual $0.15 · +25.0%

Suspect · Fry oil yield

Ketchup Packets$0.04$0.03-$0.01-25.0%Less over-pour

Ketchup Packets

-$0.01

Theo $0.04 → Actual $0.03 · -25.0%

Suspect · Less over-pour

Shake Mix (6 oz)$0.65$0.80+$0.15+23.1%Blend waste

Shake Mix (6 oz)

+$0.15

Theo $0.65 → Actual $0.80 · +23.1%

Suspect · Blend waste

American Cheese Slice$0.18$0.22+$0.04+22.2%Over-portioning

American Cheese Slice

+$0.04

Theo $0.18 → Actual $0.22 · +22.2%

Suspect · Over-portioning

Romaine Lettuce (oz)$0.09$0.07-$0.02-22.2%Good trim yield

Romaine Lettuce (oz)

-$0.02

Theo $0.09 → Actual $0.07 · -22.2%

Suspect · Good trim yield

06 · Top Items

This week. Apr 7–13 · All.

#ItemUnitsRevenueMargin $Margin %7d

1Large Fry418$2,506$1,19247.6%

1Large Fry

418u

$2,506 rev · $1,192 margin · 47.6%

2Fountain Drink390$975$56658.1%

2Fountain Drink

390u

$975 rev · $566 margin · 58.1%

3Double Cheeseburger312$3,432$2,01258.6%

3Double Cheeseburger

312u

$3,432 rev · $2,012 margin · 58.6%

4Classic Smash284$2,840$1,64758.0%

4Classic Smash

284u

$2,840 rev · $1,647 margin · 58.0%

5Small Fry267$1,068$42740.0%

5Small Fry

267u

$1,068 rev · $427 margin · 40.0%

6Hayes Bacon Burger198$2,376$63426.7%

6Hayes Bacon Burger

198u

$2,376 rev · $634 margin · 26.7%

7Wagyu Single89$1,246$73058.6%

7Wagyu Single

89u

$1,246 rev · $730 margin · 58.6%

8Chicken Sandwich67$871$39545.3%

8Chicken Sandwich

67u

$871 rev · $395 margin · 45.3%

9Shake – Vanilla58$754$24432.3%

9Shake – Vanilla

58u

$754 rev · $244 margin · 32.3%

10Grilled Cheese29$232$6126.3%

10Grilled Cheese

29u

$232 rev · $61 margin · 26.3%

07 · Ingredient Price Drift

30-day changes. 4 rising.

4 ingredients rising

80/20 Ground Beef

US Foods · Last Apr 7

30-day change

+18.4%

$/mo impact

+$520

Vendor

US Foods

Rising

80/20 Ground Beef

Rising

+18.4%·+$520/mo

US Foods · Last Apr 7

Brioche Buns (36ct)

La Brea Bakery · Last Apr 5

30-day change

+12.1%

$/mo impact

+$148

Vendor

La Brea Bakery

Rising

Brioche Buns (36ct)

Rising

+12.1%·+$148/mo

La Brea Bakery · Last Apr 5

Canola Oil (35 lb)

Sysco · Last Apr 3

30-day change

+9.2%

$/mo impact

+$87

Vendor

Sysco

Rising

Canola Oil (35 lb)

Rising

+9.2%·+$87/mo

Sysco · Last Apr 3

Wagyu Beef Blend

Superior Farms · Last Apr 8

30-day change

+7.8%

$/mo impact

+$210

Vendor

Superior Farms

Rising

Wagyu Beef Blend

Rising

+7.8%·+$210/mo

Superior Farms · Last Apr 8

American Cheese

Sysco · Last Apr 6

30-day change

-4.3%

$/mo impact

-$62

Vendor

Sysco

Falling

American Cheese

Falling

-4.3%·-$62/mo

Sysco · Last Apr 6

Romaine Lettuce

Produce Depot · Last Apr 4

30-day change

-8.7%

$/mo impact

-$34

Vendor

Produce Depot

Falling

Romaine Lettuce

Falling

-8.7%·-$34/mo

Produce Depot · Last Apr 4

Kitchen Agent

Recipes · counts · par levels · vendor orders

Manage recipes, counts, pars