References:
Price of wholesale buttermilk pancake batter: https://www.foodservicedirect.com/krusteaz-buttermilk-pancake-mix-25-pound-1-each-74798.html
Average pancake weight: https://www.answers.com/Q/How_much_does_a_pancake_weigh_in_grams So (30 g + 45 g)/2 = 37.5 g
Price of unlimited pancakes as of 2022: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2022/01/15/ihop-all-you-can-eat-pancakes/6540034001/
That’s for one container of wholesale batter, IHOP is not paying that price because they’re buying a lot more.
I don’t know if this is helpful, but when I worked at Olive Garden 10 years ago, a spaghetti and meat sauce cost them $1.09. That includes everything, labor, etc.
If that really does include everything, why do I always hear about how thin margins are in the food service industry? That doesn't sound like a thin margin to me.
Margins are thin on things that aren’t pasta. OG also had a great thing going with the wine focus. You could get a glass of estancia Pinot noir back then for like $7. The bottle was $8 retail.