How to Price Burrito: Food Cost Breakdown & Menu Price Guide
Last reviewed: July 28, 2026
Short answer
Burrito typically runs a food cost of 28–34%, supporting a menu price of $10–$15 depending on portion size and ingredient quality. A worked example below shows the exact math for one common version.
What Drives Burrito Cost
Protein
30–40% of costThe main cost lever between chicken/rice-and-bean and steak/carnitas versions
Rice and beans
10–15% of costCheap bulk fillers that add real volume
Tortilla (large flour)
8–10% of costLow cost but larger than a standard taco tortilla
Cheese, salsa, guac, sour cream
25–35% of costIndividually small, adds up fast on a build-your-own model
Worked Example
| Ingredient | Amount | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Large flour tortilla | 1 | $0.45 |
| Rice and beans | — | $0.50 |
| Carne asada | 4 oz | $1.60 |
| Cheese, salsa, guac, sour cream | — | $1.10 |
| Total ingredient cost | $3.65 | |
Target Food Cost
30%
Suggested Menu Price
$12.17
Actual food cost: 30.0%
Common Pricing Mistakes
Not standardizing scoop sizes on a build-your-own burrito model
Unmeasured scoops for rice, beans, protein, and toppings are one of the most common sources of cost drift in fast-casual burrito concepts, compounding across hundreds of orders.
Pricing all proteins the same regardless of actual cost
Carnitas, steak, chicken, and vegetarian options have very different costs. A flat burrito price across all protein choices either overprices the cheap ones or loses money on premium ones.
Underpricing guacamole given avocado price volatility
Guac is one of the more expensive add-ins and its underlying cost swings seasonally — pricing it as a flat, rarely-revisited upcharge risks margin erosion during high-price periods.
Price Every Burrito Dish on Your Menu
MenuPricer drafts the ingredient breakdown from the dish name and gives you 3 price tiers with the resulting margin. No spreadsheets, no data entry.
Price your first dish free →