HK
Venture 03 Food & Culture

Haitian
Kitchen.

Authentic Haitian takeout & catering in Queens Village, NY — the heart of NYC's Haitian-American community. Three proteins. Rigorous economics. Volume as the path to profitability.

Location
Queens Village, NY
Model Updated
March 2026
Core Menu
3 Proteins
Revenue Model
Plates + Trays + Catering
Daily Break-Even
71
plates / day to cover all costs
Monthly Fixed Costs
$18,350
incl. 15% payroll burden
Est. Monthly Profit @ 75 plates
$1,107
thin — volume is everything
Blended Food Cost
41–55%
vs. 25–30% industry target
Menu Economics

The Three Pillars.

★ Star — High Margin + High Volume
Griot
Fried Pork (Pork Shoulder, Bone-In)
$18
/ plate
Food Cost / Plate $7.44
Contribution Margin $10.56
Food Cost % 41.3%
Target Daily Volume 26 plates
Sales Mix 35%
Daily Contribution $274.56
★ Workhorse — Best Margin %, Highest Volume
Stew Chicken
Poulet en Sauce (Whole Legs)
$15
/ plate
Food Cost / Plate $6.72
Contribution Margin $8.28
Food Cost % 44.8%
Target Daily Volume 32 plates
Sales Mix 40%
Daily Contribution $265.02
★ Signature — Traffic Driver, Premium Tier
Oxtail
Long-Braised (3–4 hrs), 10 oz Serving
$27
/ plate
Food Cost / Plate $14.72
Contribution Margin $12.28
Food Cost % 54.5%
Target Daily Volume 17 plates
Sales Mix 25%
Daily Contribution $208.77
Cost Breakdown

What's in Every Plate.

Cost Component Griot Stew Chicken Oxtail
Protein
Raw IngredientPork ShoulderChicken Whole LegsOxtail
Purchase Price (per lb)$2.99$0.99$7.99
Yield % (after trim/loss)65%72%55%
Serving Size8 oz3 pieces (~12 oz raw)10 oz
Protein Cost / Plate$2.30$2.58$9.08
Standard Add-Ons (Every Plate)
Rice & Beans (8 oz)$0.55$0.55$0.55
Fried Plantains (3 oz)$0.45$0.45$0.45
Pikliz (2 oz)$0.20$0.20$0.20
Sauce (2 oz)$0.25$0.25$0.25
Clamshell Container HD$0.65$0.65$0.65
Sauce Cup + Lid$0.04$0.04$0.04
Total Add-Ons$2.14$2.14$2.14
Labor Tax (Prep Complexity)
MethodMarinate→Boil→FryOne-Pot StewLong Braise (3–4 hrs)
Labor Tax / Plate$3.00$2.00$3.50
TOTAL FOOD COST / PLATE $7.44 $6.72 $14.72
CONTRIBUTION MARGIN $10.56 $8.28 $12.28
Break-Even Analysis

The Number That Matters.

Monthly Fixed Costs Register
Rent — Linden Blvd / Springfield Blvd$4,500
Base Labor (3 FT + 1 PT, pre-tax)$9,000
Payroll Taxes & Insurance (15%)$1,350 ★
Utilities (Gas / Electric / Water)$1,200
Insurance (GL + Workers Comp)$800
POS / Tech / Internet$350
Marketing / Social Media$500
Licenses & Permits (amortized)$200
Miscellaneous / Supplies$450
TOTAL MONTHLY FIXED COSTS$18,350
★ Audit add: FICA, SUI, Workers Comp, disability — often omitted from initial models.
★ Daily Break-Even Target
71
Plates per day required to cover all $18,350 in monthly fixed costs. The single most important operational number in the model.
71
Weighted Avg. Contribution Margin
$10.08/plate
Blended across 35% Griot / 40% Stew Chicken / 25% Oxtail sales mix.
Monthly Break-Even Volume
1,821 plates
Across 26 operating days (6-day week). Daily revenue target: $1,353.
Profitability Scenario

75 Plates / Day — The Model.

Daily Plates (Griot)
26
Daily Plates (Stew Chicken)
32
Daily Plates (Oxtail)
17
Total Daily Plates
75
Total Daily Contribution
$748
Monthly Contribution (×26 days)
$19,457
Monthly Fixed Costs
($18,350)
★ Est. Monthly Net Profit
$1,107
Monthly contribution vs. fixed costs
Fixed $18,350
+$1,107
5.7% margin at 75 plates/day. A 10% volume drop puts the operation below break-even.
Key Finding At only 60 plates/day the operation is below break-even. Food costs run 41–55% across all items — well above the 25–30% industry benchmark. These prices reflect Queens Village market reality where customers expect affordable plates. Volume is the only path to profitability at these margins.
Family Tray Pricing

Bulk Orders — The Margin Accelerator.

Small
$28
1 lb meat · 8 oz rice · 3 oz plantain
82.3%
Gross Margin
No discount
Medium
$52
2 lb meat · 16 oz rice · 6 oz plantain
80.4%
Gross Margin
5% combo discount
Large
$120
5 lb meat · 32 oz rice · 12 oz plantain
78.9%
Gross Margin
10% combo discount
Family Feast
$220
10 lb meat · 64 oz rice · 24 oz plantain
75.9%
Gross Margin
15% combo discount
Pricing Ladder by Protein
Protein
1 lb Tray
2 lb Tray
Strategy
Griot
$28
$52
Best seller — push 2lb to families
Oxtail
$45
$85
Premium only — 5lb for events/catering
Legume / Lalo
$22
$40
High-margin — position as 'healthy' option
Mixed Tray
$32
$58
Griot+Oxtail combo — great for catering
Rule: Combo discount must keep gross margin ≥ 20%.
Risks & Strategy

What the Model Tells You.

Food Cost Warning
Food costs run 41–55% across all items — significantly above the 25–30% industry benchmark. These prices reflect Queens Village market reality. Volume is the only path to profitability at these margins.
Volume Dependency
At 75 plates/day, monthly profit is only $1,107. A 10% volume drop puts the operation below break-even. The business must hit 71+ plates daily to survive. Marketing, location, and delivery platform presence are critical.
Delivery Platform Risk
DoorDash/UberEats take 15–30% commission. At a $15 Stew Chicken plate, that's $2.25–$4.50 per order gone. The HD clamshell ($0.65) is already costed in, but commission is not. Direct ordering should be incentivized.
Kitchen Discipline
Consistent piece sizing (whole legs only for stew chicken), standardized portions (8 oz rice, 3 oz plantain, 2 oz pikliz), and daily waste tracking are non-negotiable. A 5% variance in portioning = $500+/month in lost margin.
Stew Chicken as Margin Hedge
The 40% mix target for Stew Chicken is strategic — it's the cheapest protein with the best contribution margin %. Push it as the daily special, the lunch combo default, and the delivery app feature item.
Family Trays = Margin Accelerator
Tray pricing carries better margins than individual plates because packaging cost is amortized. Push catering and family trays through churches, community events, and weekend pre-orders.
Model Audit — March 2026

What Changed.

NEW
Stew Chicken Added
Full costing: $0.99/lb chicken legs, 72% yield, 3-piece plate, $2.00 labor tax, $15.00 menu price. Queens Village market confirms strong margin room at $2.00/piece.
UPDATED
Oxtail Price: $20 → $27
Contribution margin increases from $10.47 to $12.28. Aligns with Queens Village market ($25–$30 for oxtail plates). Sustainable NYC margin.
UPDATED
Clamshell Container: $0.28 → $0.65
Heavy-duty leak-proof containers required for NYC delivery (DoorDash/UberEats). Non-negotiable for stew and sauce dishes.
NEW
Payroll Tax Line Added (+15%)
Added $1,350/mo (15% of $9,000 base labor) for FICA, SUI, Workers Comp, disability. Total fixed costs: $17,745 → $18,350.
UPDATED
Break-Even Recalculated
New weighted avg. CM of $10.08/plate (was $12.95). Daily target: 71 plates (was 53). Higher due to realistic food costs and payroll burden.

Download the Full Model

7-tab Excel workbook — ingredient library, sub-recipe costing, menu calculator, break-even, tray pricing, profitability summary, and executive overview.

Download .xlsx ↗ ← All Ventures