70%
Red leaf lettuce yields 70%
You buy red leaf lettuce by its whole weight, but you only plate 70% of it. That 30% loss is real cost the invoice never shows — here's the math.
Yield is the fraction of an ingredient that actually reaches the plate after you clean, peel, and trim it. What you pay is the AP (as-purchased) price; what it costs on the plate is the EP (edible-portion) price.
Coring, ribs, and bruised outer leaves are the loss. Weigh what you actually plate, not what you carry in from the walk-in.
Say your invoice shows $1.80 per head of red leaf lettuce (an example AP price).
At 70% yield, your real cost is $2.57 per head EP — because $1.80 ÷ 0.70 = $2.57.
AP price is illustrative; the EP figure is computed (AP ÷ yield). Use your real invoice price below.Yield breakdown
| As-purchased (AP) | 100% |
|---|---|
| Edible portion (EP) | 70% |
| Lost to trim | 30% |
Source: CIA Standard Yield Tables.
Common questions
What is the yield of red leaf lettuce?
Red leaf lettuce typically yields 70% edible portion of its as-purchased weight, per the CIA Standard Yield Tables.
How much red leaf lettuce is lost to trim?
About 30% of the as-purchased weight is lost to cleaning, peeling, and trimming before it reaches the plate.
How do you calculate the edible-portion cost of red leaf lettuce?
Divide the as-purchased price by the yield: EP cost = AP price ÷ 0.70. At 70% yield, the trim makes your real plated cost meaningfully higher than the invoice price.
Sourced: CIA Standard Yield Tables, via the Plate Cost Calculator · what yield means · edible portion