Cutting Brisket Cost
Without Cutting Quality.
A fast-growing BBQ concept was losing margin on their signature protein. Here's how Foodi turned invisible waste into a 10-point cost reduction — and built the discipline to keep it there.
Swipe through the case study
Brisket plate cost as share of menu price
Achieved in 10 weeks with yield and vendor discipline
In progress via portion spec and rub batch-costing
The Challenge
A fast-growing BBQ concept in Houston was bleeding margin on their signature brisket. Protein cost had climbed to 40% of plate cost — driven by inconsistent trimming yields, vendor price creep, and no formal recipe costing in the POS. The pitmaster was excellent; the numbers were invisible.
Trim loss swinging wildly between shifts
Vendor hikes noticed only at month-end
The Approach
Install Craftable & map recipes
We built the full recipe tree for brisket, rub, and sides inside Craftable, mapping every vendor item to the plate. No more guesswork on what each portion actually costs.
Weekly yield tracking
Introduced a weekly count cadence focused on trim yield and cook loss. Managers now record actual vs. theoretical every Monday before the rush.
Vendor renegotiation
Used 90 days of purchase data to renegotiate the primary protein vendor and onboard a secondary supplier for lean trim — locking in better tier pricing.
Live re-costing cadence
Shifted from quarterly menu reviews to weekly re-costing. When brisket market price moved, the menu margin moved with it — not against it.
The Result
Brisket plate cost dropped from 40% to 30% in 10 weeks. Yield variance tightened from ±12% to ±3%. The team now spots vendor price jumps within 48 hours. Next target: 28% — currently in progress with a revised portion spec and a new rub batch-costing workflow.
“For the first time we know exactly what every brisket plate costs us — and where the leaks are before they show up on the P&L.”