What's the Cost of a Pizza?

[itsinthesauce]

What do you think it costs us to make the average Pizza? I'm guessing it's between 5-6 dollars.

[stock]

hmm.  i tried to calculate it out before, and i gave up after i got as far as:
- 4 cups con agra flour - $0.175 (17.5 cents) ($8.29 for 50#s)
- 2 1/4 tsp yeast   - $0.023 (.023 cents)   ($3 for 2#s)
- 1 tsp salt    - $0.004 (.004 cents) ($0.59 for 26 oz)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil  - $.121  (12 cents) ($4 for whatever i have)
- 1 tsp sugar   - $.0018 (.0018 cents)  ($1.79 for 5 lbs)
= ~30 cents.

i don't remember what recipe that was, or if my calculations are even correct or accurate. (i should probably check them before i post them--oh well), but $5 seems a little high.  i also buy my crushed tomato in ~6lb cans for $2.79, and that lasts for a bit.  meat i usually don't buy unless it's <=$1/lb.
-scott

[itsinthesauce]

Stock, where do you get your yeast? That's cheap! Glad i started this one.

[stock]

Stock, where do you get your yeast? That's cheap! Glad i started this one.

costco.  $2 for 32 oz of redstar active dry yeast.  http://www.spiceplace.com/product_info.php/products_id/25 has a picture of the vacuum pack thing in which it comes.  i'm still using the original yeast i bought at the beginning of last july.
-scott

[itsinthesauce]

Unreal. That's why you gotta love this site. I just paid $7 for a small jar of yeast. Thanks, you probably just saved me $50 a year....I'll send you a check.

[Steve]

I get my yeast at Costco too... and Scott is right, about $2.00 for a 32 ounce vacuum sealed block of Red Star active dry yeast.

[LMU Pizza Man]

Yeah, my red star has been good in the fridge since september 2003.

[Pizzacko]

costco?.........dont you have to get an annual membership at that place?

[stock]

costco?.........dont you have to get an annual membership at that place?

yeah, you do.  that said, 4oz of redstar active dry yeast is $7.49 at my local safeway, which comes out to $59.92 for 32oz of yeast.  the basic costco membership is $45/year; plus, you could probably find other cheap stuff there, if you don't mind buying in bulk.  or, if you have a friend that has a membership, you could always ask to tag along when he or she goes to costco, and then buy it on his or her card.  somewhere like smart and final (which doesn't require a membership) may also sell yeast for a relatively low cost as well.  in my (extremely limited) experience, the supermarket is the last place to buy yeast, assuming one wants to save a bit of money.  you could also try looking around online a bit.  earlier today, when looking for a picture of the package of red star yeast, i stumbled across http://www.spiceplace.com/product_info.php/products_id/25.  $5.49 for 32oz of active dry yeast is still a good price, i should think, though i have no idea whether they'll stick it to you in shipping or not.
-scott

[Foccaciaman]

I also did the cost breakdown of a few of my pizzas and it came out to about $2.00 per on average. With pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms.
Most of that cost is the cheese and that is a 5 lbs. bag from Sam's Club for about $8.50.
The yeast is also inexpensive there.
25lbs. bakers bread flour. $7
2 liters olive oil $8.
1 lbs. pepperoni $4.75

[Pizzaholic]

Good estimate from Stock
I was told by an aquantance that the chains can make pies for about  19 cents. Now thats creating an economies of scale.
Pizzaholic

[Love2Cook]

I have orderd several items from www.spiceplace.com and the shipping costs are actual shipping costs no hidden charges or handling fees.  They also had speedy delivery of my order.

[Randy]

I know I pitch this place a lot but they have some great stuff.
http://www.penzeys.com/

Randy

[stock]

I know I pitch this place a lot but they have some great stuff.
http://www.penzeys.com/
Randy

i'm getting ready to break down and order some of that stuff.
-scott

[itsinthesauce]

I just got back from the International Franchise show in Washingtron DC and got some interesting facts from the guys franchising Noble Roman's Pizza. Their cost is 18% of the retail price. Cost = $2.34, Retail = $12.99....not bad.

These guys were sampling their product to the public and cooked two pizzas every 6 minutes in electric conveyor ovens. One guy was making the pizzas, for three solid days...he was amazing. Pizza was so-so.