You see “Lobster — MP” on the menu. What does MP mean, how much should you expect to pay, and should you ask before ordering?
Quick answer
MP = Market Price. The dish is priced based on the current wholesale cost of the main ingredient. Always ask your server for the price before ordering.
MP stands for market price— also written as “mkt price” or occasionally spelled out in full. It means the restaurant is not listing a fixed price for the dish because the cost of the ingredient fluctuates.
Instead of printing one price that may be wrong within days, the kitchen sets the selling price based on what they paid for the ingredient that week (or even that day).
You will most often see MP next to:
Menus are expensive to reprint. A printed menu that lists “Lobster $48” creates two problems:
When wholesale price goes UP
The restaurant sells at a loss, or has to remove the dish. A $48 lobster with a $24 wholesale cost becomes unprofitable if the wholesale price rises to $32.
When wholesale price goes DOWN
Customers feel overcharged, or the restaurant leaves margin on the table by not lowering the price to attract more orders.
Market price solves both problems. The kitchen adjusts the selling price daily or weekly to maintain a consistent food cost percentage — typically 30–38% for premium seafood — regardless of what the market does.
MP dishes are almost always among the most expensive items on the menu. Here are typical ranges:
| Item | Typical MP range | When it spikes |
|---|---|---|
| Live Maine lobster | $45–85 | Winter, holiday season |
| Whole fish (branzino, sea bass) | $35–65 | Winter, weather disruptions |
| King crab legs (per lb) | $55–90 | Off-season (late summer) |
| Oysters (each) | $3–5 | Summer spawning season |
| Dungeness crab | $40–70 | Early season (Nov–Dec) |
| Sea urchin (uni) | $28–55 | Demand exceeds supply year-round |
Prices vary significantly by restaurant type and location. Fine dining in major cities will be at the high end of these ranges.
Yes — always ask.
There is no social awkwardness in asking your server for the current price of any MP item. Servers expect this question and should have the price ready. MP dishes frequently cost 2–3× more than the next most expensive item on the menu, and you have every right to know the price before you commit.
If a server cannot tell you the current price or seems uncertain, ask them to check with the kitchen before you order.
Here is how a restaurant manager or chef typically sets the market price each day:
The invoice from the fish market or supplier shows the cost per pound or per piece for that delivery.
Selling Price = Ingredient Cost ÷ Target Food Cost %. For a whole branzino at $12/lb with a 33% target: $12 ÷ 0.33 = $36.36 → price at $38.
Servers are told the current MP price each shift. This is part of the pre-service staff meeting.
If the daily delivery cost rises sharply mid-week, the price is updated for the next service.
What does MP mean on a menu?
MP stands for market price. The dish is priced based on the current wholesale cost of the main ingredient, which changes with supply and demand. Common for lobster, whole fish, crab, and oysters.
Should I ask what the MP price is before ordering?
Yes, always. MP dishes are often the most expensive items on the menu. Servers expect the question and should have the current price ready.
Why do restaurants use market price instead of a fixed price?
Because the ingredient cost changes too frequently to print a reliable price. MP lets the kitchen adjust the selling price daily or weekly to maintain a consistent food cost percentage without reprinting menus.
How much does a market price dish typically cost?
MP dishes vary widely. Live lobster typically runs $45–85, whole fish $35–65, king crab $55–90/lb, and oysters $3–5 each. Always ask your server for the current price.
If you are a restaurant operator, MenuPricer helps you calculate the right selling price from your current ingredient cost — so your MP dishes always hit your target margin.
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