30%
Whole lobster yields 30%
You buy whole lobster by its whole weight, but you only plate 30% of it. That 70% 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 $14.00 per lb of whole lobster (an example AP price).
At 30% yield, your real cost is $46.67 per lb EP — because $14.00 ÷ 0.30 = $46.67.
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) | 30% |
| Lost to trim | 70% |
Source: CIA Standard Yield Tables.
Common questions
What is the yield of whole lobster?
Whole lobster typically yields 30% edible portion of its as-purchased weight, per the CIA Standard Yield Tables.
How much whole lobster is lost to trim?
About 70% 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 whole lobster?
Divide the as-purchased price by the yield: EP cost = AP price ÷ 0.30. At 30% yield, the trim makes your real plated cost meaningfully higher than the invoice price.
Market readconfidence directional · as of 2026-06-01
Trade-value index — directional only; the NOAA import value runs below delivered wholesale. The market is down -9.2% over the recent window.
Watch. Too new to call — too little history so far. Treat the price as real until a pattern shows.
One pricing methodology backs the level.
Sources · 2
Sourced: CIA Standard Yield Tables, via the Plate Cost Calculator · what yield means · edible portion