> wrote in message
...
>
> How do you go about deciding what to charge for food/menu items in a
> cafe? It was a no brainer to decide on prices for bottles of water,
> juice, pop, etc. but now my husband is getting ready to open up the cafe
> part of the place and we're stuck on how to set prices. I assume you
> figure out what each item costs to make, then decide on a price, but
> what if your costs differ from month-to-month? Like, let's say chicken
> wings are 99 cents a pound this month, but next month they're $1.39 a
> pound. Is there a set formula for figuring this stuff out?
>

In general, pricing is set by the market. You should expect to charge what
similar restaurants in your area charge for similar items. Unless you can
demonstrate some particular benefit (convenience, superior flavor, unique
atmosphere, etc.,) few people will pay more for a similar item at one place
than another. On the other hand, you shouldn't charge less just because you
are very efficient.