Scampi and chips: how much it costs to make, per portion
Breaded wholetail scampi, fried, with chips, peas, tartare sauce and a lemon wedge. Ten portions costed from JJ Foodservice prices dated 10 October 2026.
The menu price is the one ChefSums uses for this dish on its sample pub menu, a realistic UK menu price. The lowest price is the one that just reaches 68% GP, the UK food GP benchmark (UKHospitality × Christie & Co, 2022: 65.9–69% food GP across every segment). It covers the ingredients at a normal margin, not staff, rent or energy, and most cafés, pubs and takeaways charge more for simple dishes. Check what places near you charge. GP is worked out on the ex-VAT price.
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Ingredients and cost, 10 portions
| Ingredient | Pack price | Pack size | Used | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wholetail breaded scampi | £4.39 | 454 g | 1250 g | £12.09 |
| Frozen chips, 3/8-inch | £13.99 | 9080 g | 2250 g | £3.47 |
| Vegetable oil (fryer top-up allowance) | £26.99 | 20000 ml | 400 ml | £0.54 |
| Frozen peas | £5.29 | 2500 g | 800 g | £1.69 |
| Tartare sauce | £16.49 | 4540 ml | 300 ml | £1.09 |
| Lemons (wedges) | £5.49 | 15 each | 2.5 each | £0.92 |
| Table salt | £10.99 | 6000 g | 15 g | £0.03 |
| Batch total | £19.82 | |||
| Per portion (÷ 10) | £1.98 | |||
Cost per line is pack price × (amount used ÷ pack size), the same sum the tool runs. Change one pack price and every line that uses it moves.
What it really costs: waste and staff time
| Ingredients | £1.98 |
| Waste allowance, 5% (trim, ends, the odd one binned) | £0.10 |
| Staff time: 5 min hands-on for the batch of 10 at £12.71/hr + 25% on-cost | £0.13 |
| Food, waste and staff per portion | £2.21 |
At the sample pub menu price (£12.08 ex VAT) that is 18% of the price, before rent, energy and everything else. Many UK sites aim to keep food plus staff (prime cost) at or under 60–65% of sales. The staff line counts hands-on prep only, not unattended cooking, and uses the April 2026 National Living Wage; put your own rate, minutes and waste in the calculator's real cost section or the prime cost calculator. Every dish side by side: the UK dish cost index.
Method
- Fry the scampi from frozen at 175 °C for about 3 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
- Fry the chips and season.
- Plate with peas, 30 ml of tartare sauce in a ramekin and a lemon wedge (four wedges to a lemon).
Costing notes
At 125 g of scampi a portion, the scampi line is £1.21 of a £1.98 plate. JJ's own-brand 454 g bag was the cheapest wholetail line that day; branded wholetail scampi (Whitby, at £6.29 for 450 g) would add about £0.54 a portion. Count the pieces on a few plates: a cook adding two extra pieces moves the cost more than any other line.
Where the prices came from
JJ Foodservice collection prices as shown on its public search pages on 10 October 2026 (delivery runs about £1-2 a case higher; one line JJ listed on delivery only is marked). JJ does not label VAT on most lines: raw food is zero-rated in the UK, while soft drinks, alcohol, confectionery and some ingredients carry standard-rate VAT. Your supplier's price is the one that matters: open the recipe and type it in.
- Wholetail breaded scampi: JJ Wholetail Breaded Scampi 1x454g, 454 g, £4.39 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Frozen chips, 3/8-inch: JJ Blue Label 3/8 Chips 4x2.27kg (CHP007), 9.08 kg, £13.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Vegetable oil (fryer top-up allowance): JJ Vegetable Cooking Oil BIB 1x20L (OIL114), 20 L, £26.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Frozen peas: Darta Frozen Choice Peas 1x2.5kg, 2.5 kg, £5.29 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Tartare sauce: Lion Tartare Sauce 2x2.27L (SAU228), 2 x 2.27 L, £16.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Lemons (wedges): Fresh Lemons 1x15 (VEG899), 15 lemons, £5.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
- Table salt: DP Table Salt Tub 1x6kg (SPI277), 6 kg, £10.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-10
More costed dishes: pub and restaurant classics
- Hunter's chicken with chips and coleslaw — £1.85 a portion
- Ploughman's lunch — £2.52 a serve
- Chickpea and spinach curry with rice (vegan) — £1.33 a portion
- Apple crumble and custard — £0.77 a portion