Pizzeria Benchmarks
The cost benchmarks behind our reporting, on one page. Every figure links to where it was published and to the Oven Scars story that puts it to work.
How to read these
Benchmarks are averages across formats. Use them to find which of your numbers is out of range, not to grade your shop against someone else’s model. Some come from independent sources, some from companies selling the software that measures them, and some from datasets nobody has refreshed in years. Each one is labeled.
- Independent source Research bodies, accounting firms, trade press, primary filings.
- Vendor-published Real data, published by a company with something to sell.
- Dated data Still quoted, but old enough that you should know its age.
Want these on one printable page with a blank for your own numbers? Get the free cheat sheet.
Prime cost, food cost and labor cost
| Benchmark | Range | Source | Where we use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime cost | 55–60% of sales | Restaurant365 Vendor-published Published by a restaurant-management software company. The range is widely quoted and consistent with independent accounting data below. | The Real Cost of Running a Pizza Shop |
| Prime cost (QSR dataset) | 57.4% — 30.5% food, 26.9% labor | Baker Tilly, via Bloom Intelligence Dated data Traces to Baker Tilly’s 2018 dataset. The industry has not published a widely accepted refresh, so treat it as a reference point rather than current-year truth. | The Real Cost of Running a Pizza Shop |
| Food cost | 20–30% of revenue | Toast Vendor-published Published by a POS company analysing its own customer base. | The Real Cost of Running a Pizza Shop |
| Labor cost | 23–28% of sales | Pizza Today, 2026 Trends Report Independent source | The Real Cost of Running a Pizza Shop |
Run it with your own numbers: Prime Cost Health Check
Labor and sales per labor hour
| Benchmark | Range | Source | Where we use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales per labor hour (quick service) | $100–$150+ | 7shifts Vendor-published Published by a scheduling-software company, and there is no independently published SPLH benchmark specific to pizzerias. Most pizza shops straddle formats. Build your own baseline from four weeks of your own data and compete against that instead. | Your Labor Percentage Is Averaging a Dead Tuesday Against a Slammed Friday |
| Sales per labor hour (fast casual) | $80–$120 | 7shifts Vendor-published Vendor-published. Use as a shape, not a target. | Your Labor Percentage Is Averaging a Dead Tuesday Against a Slammed Friday |
Run it with your own numbers: Labor by Daypart
Delivery commissions and fees
| Benchmark | Range | Source | Where we use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketplace commission | 15–30% per order | DoorDash published merchant pricing Independent source | The Delivery Math Nobody Does |
| Effective all-in marketplace cost | 30–40% of order revenue | Rezku Vendor-published Published by a POS company. Reflects commission plus payment processing and promotions stacked together — worth pressure-testing against your own statements. | The Real Cost of Running a Pizza Shop |
| White-label flat fee (DoorDash Drive) | $9.75 within 5 miles, +$0.75/mile beyond | DoorDash Developer Docs Independent source | The Delivery Math Nobody Does |
Run it with your own numbers: Delivery Channel Breakeven
Rent and occupancy cost
| Benchmark | Range | Source | Where we use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base rent | 6% or less of total sales | Baker Tilly, via Bloom Intelligence Dated data Traces to Baker Tilly’s 2018 data, and the industry has not published a widely accepted refresh. Post-2020 urban rents make 6% fantasy in some markets and easy in others. | Read Your Lease Like a P&L — Occupancy Is the Cost You Fix Exactly Once |
| Total occupancy | 10% or less of total sales | Baker Tilly, via Bloom Intelligence Dated data Same 2018 dataset. Use it to size the question, not to settle it. | Read Your Lease Like a P&L — Occupancy Is the Cost You Fix Exactly Once |
| Percentage rent above the breakpoint | ~7% of sales | Nolo Independent source | Read Your Lease Like a P&L — Occupancy Is the Cost You Fix Exactly Once |
Run it with your own numbers: Occupancy Cost & Lease Quota
Food cost variance, drinks and pie prices
| Benchmark | Range | Source | Where we use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theoretical vs. actual food cost gap (best in class) | About one percentage point | Restaurant365 Vendor-published Published by a restaurant-management software company. | The Real Cost of Running a Pizza Shop |
| Beverage markups | 300–500% | PMQ Pizza Magazine Independent source | The Real Cost of Running a Pizza Shop |
| Large independent cheese pie, national average price | $18.33 (early 2024) | Slice of the Union pizza index Dated data An early-2024 price. Menu prices have moved since. | The Real Cost of Running a Pizza Shop |
Free cheat sheet: 15 pizzeria cost benchmarks on one page
Prime cost, labor, delivery and rent, each with its source and a blank for your shop’s number. Enter your email and the download opens right away.
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What this page can’t tell you
None of these figures is specific to your format, your market or your volume. A slice shop and a family sit-down are not the same animal. The number worth tracking is your own, week over week, and the Pizzeria Playbook tools run it in your browser. If you see a benchmark cited in our reporting that’s missing here, tell us at hello@ovenscars.com. The terms on this page are defined in the Pizzeria Glossary. To see which costs are rising fastest right now, check the Pizzeria Cost Tracker.