Cost index
Example: romaine reads about $14–$15 a case across public sources this month, up a little. A kitchen paying $17 can see it sits above the typical range — a signal to call the vendor, not to drop the Caesar.
market ingredient index
A market read of where common restaurant ingredients are priced, drawn from public sources and shown as a typical range — the middle half of the market, from the 25th to the 75th percentile — with a trend. It tells an operator whether a price move is the market or a single vendor.
Why it matters
A menu price set in winter assumes a winter cost. When an invoice jumps, the operator cannot tell from the invoice alone whether the whole market moved or one vendor raised the price — so they either overpay quietly or re-price a dish that did not need it. A cost index answers that: read the typical range, read the direction, and check where your own price sits. Public market sources — the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and FRED — publish the underlying prices; the index blends them without mixing different price types into one number.
Frequently asked
What is a cost index?
A market read of where common restaurant ingredients are priced, drawn from public sources and shown as a typical range — the middle half of the market, from the 25th to the 75th percentile — with a trend. It tells an operator whether a price move is the market or a single vendor.
Where do the numbers come from?
Public market sources — the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and FRED. Different price types (delivered, wholesale, an index) are never blended into one number; each contributes on its own terms.
How do I tell if I am overpaying?
Read the typical range — the 25th to the 75th percentile — then place your own price on it. Below the range is a good deal; inside is normal; above the range is worth a vendor conversation.
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