How to Compare Restaurant Supplier Prices When Case Sizes Differ

Start with two quotes for the same kitchen job

Put both quotes beside the recipe they are meant to supply. Whole and trimmed products, fresh and frozen products, and different grades may serve the same dish, but they are not identical purchases. Write down what matters: cut, fat level, brand requirement, size, preparation work and delivery date. A calculation compares the figures you enter; it cannot decide whether a substitute meets your recipe standard. If you are still choosing delivery versus warehouse shopping, compare the service models in Sysco vs US Foods vs Restaurant Depot.

Keep the supplier name, quote date and expiry date on your working copy. Record whether the quoted quantity is one bag, a case containing several bags, or a variable-weight case. Check whether freight, fuel fees, known credits or other charges are included. When an order-level charge is allocated across products, write the allocation method beside the number so you can reproduce the comparison later.

Worked sample: the $66 case costs less per portion

Quote B costs $6 more per case but about $0.173611 less per portion. Relative to A, the reduction is $0.173611 ÷ $0.9375 × 100 = 18.52%. At an assumed 400 identical portions, that is $69.44 less ingredient cost. Calculate with unrounded unit costs, then round the final amount. These are synthetic quotes and assumed yields and volume, not observed supplier offers or achieved savings.

The case count matters for ordering. The comparison above prices consumption, not the immediate cash purchase: 400 portions need 100 usable pounds, while each case has a different usable quantity. Round actual purchases to available packs and consider leftover stock, storage and payment terms separately. A low portion cost does not automatically mean the lowest order total or the best buying decision.

Check yield and receiving details before choosing

1. 1.Weigh a representative purchased quantity, then weigh what is usable after the preparation stage relevant to the recipe. Record raw trimmed versus cooked weight explicitly.
2. 2.Repeat the test when the specification, preparation method or delivered quality changes. A yield measured for one cut is not a universal meat yield.
3. 3.For catch-weight goods, use the invoiced actual weight and its price basis. An estimated case weight is useful for planning but should not silently replace the delivered weight.
4. 4.Treat an unconfirmed credit as unresolved. Keep both the current invoice cost and a separate credit scenario until the supplier confirms the adjustment.
5. 5.Compare minimum orders, delivery reliability, preparation labor and storage needs alongside the arithmetic. Name any cost excluded from the calculation.

The USDA Food Buying Guide appendix explains how as-purchased food relates to prepared edible quantity. Its program examples explain the method; the yield for your recipe should come from a matching specification and your own preparation check. See AP versus EP cost for the two cost bases.

Carry the reviewed cost into the recipe

Use the supplier comparison calculator to compare your own quotes and print the assumptions. Then enter the selected purchase cost, quantity and reviewed yield in the recipe calculator. If your recipe quantity is already as-purchased weight, do not divide by yield again. If it is served weight, use the usable cost that matches that stage.

When the order arrives, check the invoice against the quotation before treating the price as current. The invoice price audit covers substitutions, missing units and credits. Keeping that evidence with an ingredient makes the next price change understandable and identifies which recipe costs need another review.