Economics of a Seafood Restaurant

Was just curious as the gross profit margin of Seafood Restaurants, for a Mom and Pop operation, with the below limited menu (normal portion control):
Note: Not factoring in cost of real estate, utilities, kitchen help and wait staff to arrive at gross margin.

1) Fried shrimp
2) Grilled shrimp
3) Crawfish étouffée
4) Shrimp étouffée
5) Seafood gumbo
6) Salad’s
7) French fries.
8) Fried catfish
9) Grilled catfish
10) Beverages

Look forward to constructive input, including questions.

Sanoma
I moved your post to the Restaurant Pro Forum...it should get more attention there.

pdxyyz Thanks for responding. We certainly understand what you presented is commonly accepted business practice/knowledge, as related to ROI (inputs/outputs), as well as dictated plate price based on what a given market will bare in relation to the competitive arena therein, or lack thereof….and last but not least the bottom line net.

To further expand on the above we have ran a spreadsheet/business model detailing same.

We are seeking input, regardless of the geographic area of a seafood establishment, from parties that are owners and/or operating managers of same, related to various issues that effect the operation of same. We have no experience rate in this industry and thus the reason for the post. Pdxvyz do you fit this profile?

No matter what it costs me to plate a serving of fried shrimp, if other establishments within my demographic price it at $10.99 then I'd better be able/willing to do the same if I want to compete.

#1: Don't over complicate things. All that book learning may sound great in print, but in the real world you have to please the people.

Making $10 profit on a $20 plate does you no good if no one's buying. I'd be more concerned with how my prices fit within my market, than my profit margin on each item.

Optimally, yes, it would be preferable to make $10 profit on one plate, rater than $2 profit on five. But only of your market allows you to do so will you succeed.

Perhaps we erred in lack of clarity in the original post, since we understand economics. Our original intent of the question was to seek gross margin comments from a broad area, but consider that question null and void.

For those who own and/or manage a Seafood Restaurant, please provide pros and cons of same.

quote:

Originally posted by sanoma

Perhaps we erred in lack of clarity in the original post, since we understand economics. Our original intent of the question was to seek gross margin comments from a broad area, but consider that question null and void.

For those who own and/or manage a Seafood Restaurant, please provide pros and cons of same.

Is that a collective "we" or a hoity-toity one, as in "We are not amused"? If the later, I think "we" might be in the wrong forum. This place is mostly populated by street vendors and folks who run roadside burger, pizza, and BBQ joints. Just FYI.

Sorry for the snipe, but your posts sound really pretentious.

quote:

Originally posted by SimonD

Is that a collective "we" or a hoity-toity one, as in "We are not amused"? If the later, I think "we" might be in the wrong forum. This place is mostly populated by street vendors and folks who run roadside burger, pizza, and BBQ joints. Just FYI.

Sorry for the snipe, but your posts sound really pretentious.

Please accept my (our ‘we’, in referring to family) apologies. We were sincerely seeking interaction from professionals with an experience rate in seafood restaurants and were not aware that this forum was primarily targeted/fed by street vendors.

Is there a forum that would match ours needs?

quote:

Originally posted by pdxyyz

To calculate the margin you need to know the cost of the product and the selling price.

Do you factor in waste into the cost? (Have x shrimp on hand , but only able to sell 80% before it has been in the restaurant too long to sell, returns, etc) I'd imagine that catagory would get smaller and smaller as you get to know the market and real demands, but to start off it could be high.