Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

DeviantAnthro t1_je7y24t wrote

It's from an article that came out in Newsweek, December, 2022

https://www.newsweek.com/restaurant-selling-food-market-price-dubbed-sign-times-virginia-1767122

Carrie Bell, general manager at The Mill on MacArthur, told Newsweek: "Around a year ago the cost for tater tots per case inflated from around $25 a case to almost $75 a case. Our printed menu then had them listed for $4.50 for 2 dozen tots plus 4oz. dipping sauce. Unfortunately, this price increase was untenable for us as well as our customers, and we were forced to stop carrying them.

When reprinting our menus this October we debated leaving the tots or removing them, due to product cost volatility. As a joke to ourselves we decided to leave them, but at market price. It has sparked a lot of good conversations between guests and staff, a small teaching moment about food costs and the continued struggles in the supply chain."

While the ongoing joke on the price of tater tots remains a point of interest for visitors and staff, Bell confirmed that tater tots currently cost $4.50."

Edit: the interview is from Newsweek, the image is from Reddit

173

fluufhead t1_je9jifa wrote

A case of tots is 30 pounds (1,440 tots) so their food cost per serving went up 83 cents, according to my back-of-the-napkin calculation based on this wholesale page

19

khuldrim t1_je9l67c wrote

Restaurants are a tiny margin business.

37

Farmerjoerva t1_jea4d9r wrote

Then you have to add in 20% of the cost for labor. Then you have to add in cost of the oil to fry them. Then you have to ask in the cost of the dipping sauce. Then you have to add in the paper or in containers that they go in which is easily going to make that another dollar 20 and making the cost probably around two dollars

6

fluufhead t1_jeajwe8 wrote

What I calc'ed was the change in food cost/serving

3

Farmerjoerva t1_jeamswd wrote

That’s how you get actual food cost by adding in all those items.

1

fluufhead t1_jeankes wrote

Just missing the base food cost...

Regardless, I don't think anyone is under a false impression that tots are a significant profit driver for restaurants.

2