How to Price Pho: Food Cost Breakdown & Menu Price Guide
Last reviewed: July 28, 2026
Short answer
Pho typically runs a food cost of 26–32%, supporting a menu price of $13–$17 depending on portion size and ingredient quality. A worked example below shows the exact math for one common version.
What Drives Pho Cost
Broth
20–28% of costLong-simmered bone broth carries real labor and utility cost beyond ingredients
Rice noodles
8–10% of costCheap per bowl
Protein (beef, chicken)
35–45% of costThe main lever between a basic and premium bowl
Herbs and garnish plate (basil, bean sprouts, lime)
10–15% of costSmall individually, consistently under-costed in aggregate
Worked Example
| Ingredient | Amount | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Beef bone broth | 16 oz | $1.30 |
| Rice noodles | 5 oz | $0.50 |
| Sliced beef + brisket | 4 oz | $2.60 |
| Herb plate (basil, sprouts, lime, jalapeño) | — | $0.55 |
| Total ingredient cost | $4.95 | |
Target Food Cost
30%
Suggested Menu Price
$16.50
Actual food cost: 30.0%
Common Pricing Mistakes
Not costing the long-simmer broth's labor and utility cost
A properly made pho broth simmers for many hours, consuming real labor time and utility cost beyond just the bones and aromatics — a cost that's easy to leave out entirely.
Treating the herb garnish plate as free
Basil, bean sprouts, lime, and jalapeño served alongside every bowl carry real per-order cost that compounds significantly across volume, even though each component is individually cheap.
Pricing the beef combination bowl the same as the basic bowl
A combination bowl with multiple cuts of beef (brisket, tendon, tripe) costs meaningfully more than a single-cut basic bowl, and the price gap should reflect that.
Price Every Pho Dish on Your Menu
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