55%
Whole branzino yields 55%
You buy whole branzino by its whole weight, but you only plate 55% of it. That 45% 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.
On a whole fish, the head, frame, skin, and trim are the loss — a whole fish at a low per-pound price can cost more per plated ounce than a fillet.
Say your invoice shows $9.00 per lb of whole branzino (an example AP price).
At 55% yield, your real cost is $16.36 per lb EP — because $9.00 ÷ 0.55 = $16.36.
AP price is illustrative; the EP figure is computed (AP ÷ yield). Use your real invoice price below.Sourced: CIA Standard Yield Tables, via the Plate Cost Calculator · what yield means · edible portion