What is a good food cost percentage for poke bowls?

Poke bowls typically run 30-36% food cost, on the higher end because fish is expensive, though offering tofu or chicken base options can bring blended cost down.

How do build-your-own models make poke bowls harder to price?

Unmeasured scoop sizes across many mix-in options are one of the most common sources of cost creep in fast-casual concepts. Standardized scoop sizes per ingredient are essential to controlling cost.

Should extra protein or avocado upcharges vary seasonally?

Ideally yes for avocado, since its market price swings meaningfully by season. Extra protein upcharges should track the actual protein's cost, not a flat rate across fish and tofu alike.

Hawaiian / Build-Your-Own

How to Price Poke Bowl: Food Cost Breakdown & Menu Price Guide

Last reviewed: July 28, 2026

Short answer

Poke Bowl typically runs a food cost of 30–36%, 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 Poke Bowl Cost

Base protein (fish, tofu, chicken)

40–50% of cost

Fish drives the price tier; tofu and chicken are much cheaper substitutes

Rice or greens base

8–12% of cost

Cheap per bowl

Mix-ins and toppings

25–35% of cost

Build-your-own models make this the hardest cost to control

Sauce

5–10% of cost

Small per bowl but adds up at volume if unmeasured

Worked Example

Ingredient	Amount	Cost
Ahi tuna	5 oz	$3.20
Sushi rice	6 oz	$0.50
Edamame, cucumber, avocado, onion	—	$1.10
Sauce (spicy mayo, ponzu)	—	$0.30
Total ingredient cost		$5.10

Target Food Cost

33%

Suggested Menu Price

$15.45

Actual food cost: 33.0%

Common Pricing Mistakes

Not standardizing scoop sizes on a build-your-own model

Poke bowls built with unmeasured scoops are one of the most common sources of cost creep in fast-casual, since a slightly generous fish or avocado scoop compounds across hundreds of bowls.

Pricing all proteins the same regardless of actual cost

Ahi tuna, salmon, tofu, and chicken have very different costs. A flat base price across all protein choices either overprices the cheap ones or loses money on fish.

Underpricing 'premium' mix-ins like avocado or extra fish

Avocado and extra protein upcharges need to reflect actual market cost, which for avocado specifically can swing significantly by season.

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