85%
Shrimp (shell-on) yields 85%
You buy shrimp (shell-on) by its whole weight, but you only plate 85% of it. That 15% 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.
Shell, head, and water weight are the loss — shellfish yields are the lowest in the kitchen, so the cost per usable ounce runs high.
Say your invoice shows $9.00 per lb of shrimp (shell-on) (an example AP price).
At 85% yield, your real cost is $10.59 per lb EP — because $9.00 ÷ 0.85 = $10.59.
AP price is illustrative; the EP figure is computed (AP ÷ yield). Use your real invoice price below.Market readconfidence low · as of 2026-04-01
About $3.84/lb (wholesale reference, single source), flat -0.1% over the recent window.
Sources · 2
Sourced: CIA Standard Yield Tables, via the Plate Cost Calculator · what yield means · edible portion