Brunch / Breakfast

How to Price Brunch (Eggs Benedict): Food Cost Breakdown & Menu Price Guide

Last reviewed: July 28, 2026

Short answer

Brunch (Eggs Benedict) typically runs a food cost of 24–30%, supporting a menu price of $14–$19 depending on portion size and ingredient quality. A worked example below shows the exact math for one common version.

What Drives Brunch (Eggs Benedict) Cost

Eggs (poached)

10–15% of cost

Cheap individually, but hollandaise and protein add up fast

English muffin

5–8% of cost

Low cost per serving

Protein (Canadian bacon, salmon)

25–35% of cost

The main differentiator between a $14 and $19 version

Hollandaise sauce

15–20% of cost

Butter-heavy sauce that's easy to underestimate in cost

Side (potatoes, fruit)

10–15% of cost

Standard inclusion that needs its own cost line

Worked Example

IngredientAmountCost
Eggs (2, poached)2$0.50
English muffin1$0.35
Canadian bacon2 oz$0.90
Hollandaise2 oz$0.75
Home fries$0.60
Total ingredient cost$3.10

Target Food Cost

27%

Suggested Menu Price

$11.48

Actual food cost: 27.0%

Common Pricing Mistakes

Underestimating hollandaise cost

A proper butter-and-egg-yolk hollandaise costs more per ounce than most sauces on the menu, and it's easy to treat as a negligible finishing touch rather than a real cost line.

Not differentiating protein swaps in pricing

Swapping Canadian bacon for smoked salmon meaningfully changes ingredient cost, but menus sometimes price all Benedict variations within a dollar of each other regardless of protein cost.

Treating the side as free because it's 'standard'

Home fries or fruit included with every brunch plate still cost money per serving and need to be part of the total dish cost calculation.

Price Every Brunch (Eggs Benedict) Dish on Your Menu

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Frequently Asked Questions

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