Selling and marketing
How to Sell Bread to Restaurants: Price and Terms
What to sample, how to price a loaf for a restaurant, and what to check before the first paid batch.
On this page
- What does a restaurant need before it will buy your bread?
- How do you get the first restaurant meeting?
- How do you price a loaf for a restaurant?
- What terms should you set before the first paid batch?
- What mistakes cost you money with restaurant accounts?
- How do you keep the account after the first order?
What to remember
- One restaurant account can pay better than one market day, but only if the weekly margin is positive.
- Quote a price per loaf for a set delivery day, not a price for one bake.
- Put delivery time, packaging, and the $20 Brevl fee into overhead.
- Set payment terms before the first paid batch.
Selling to a restaurant is not the same as selling at a market table. A restaurant account runs on a schedule, the same loaf, and a set delivery day. The plan below covers how to sell bread to restaurants without guessing at the price or the workload.
What does a restaurant need before it will buy your bread?
A chef needs three answers fast: the loaf size, the day it arrives, and the price per loaf. Put those on one page with your phone number. Leave out your full recipe and your life story.
Bring one sample loaf on the same day you plan to deliver. That shows the crust, the crumb, and the size they will get. A sample that looks different from the paid order is a problem a lower price will not fix.
Bring a second sample only if the first meeting goes well. Write the date and the order size on your page before you leave. A sample without a next date is a free loaf.
How do you get the first restaurant meeting?
Pick five places near you that already serve bread. Go after the lunch rush, not at noon. Ask for the chef or the owner by name, and keep the visit under five minutes.
Choose the right five places
List five restaurants that already put bread on the table. Skip places with no bread on the menu or a locked kitchen door.
Go at a quiet hour
Visit after the lunch rush or before dinner service. Ask for the chef or owner. Do not hand a sample to a server and leave.
Bring one loaf and one page
The loaf is the sample. The page has your name, phone, loaf size, price per loaf, delivery days, and order cutoff.
Ask one question
Ask what would make a standing bread order easy for them. Listen for the order size, the delivery day, and the payment terms.
Set the next date
Before you leave, agree on a follow up date and a small first order. Put both in a text or email so you both have the same plan.
A sample is not a sale. The goal of the first visit is a small paid order with a date on it. If the restaurant will not set a date, count the sample in your numbers and move to the next place.
Write down what you learn at each stop. Note the bread they buy, the price they mention, and the day they take deliveries. Those notes shape your price and your route.
How do you price a loaf for a restaurant?
Start with the same loaf cost you use for market sales. Add the delivery time, the packaging for a restaurant order, and your overhead. Then add the margin you want to keep.
The restaurant price is not your retail price plus a guess. It is your cost plus your time plus your margin. If the number is higher than the menu can carry, change the loaf size or the delivery plan before you cut your own pay.
The loaf math in how much to sell bread for gives you the base cost. If the restaurant wants sandwich bread, use the cost method in how much to sell homemade sandwich bread for. Then adjust for the restaurant terms.
Write the weekly order as one line. Ingredients and packaging for the week are I. Your hours times the pay you want are L. Overhead includes the flat $20 a month Brevl fee.
The restaurant pays P. Your margin is P minus I minus L minus $20. Brevl takes 0% of P. If the result is not positive, raise the price or cut the loaf size.
Put your own numbers in that line before you quote a restaurant. The $20 overhead number is fixed. The ingredients and labor numbers are yours to check each week.
What terms should you set before the first paid batch?
Put the order size, delivery day, delivery window, and price per loaf in writing. Add the cut off for changes and who pays for delivery. Both of you should have the same page.
Set payment terms before you bake. For a new account, ask for payment on delivery or a short due date you can carry. Brevl lets you take card payments through your own Stripe or Square account, plus Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, and cash.
Agree on what happens when the restaurant skips a week or changes the order size. A short text the day before delivery stops most surprises. Put the change cut off on the same page as the price.
What mistakes cost you money with restaurant accounts?
The mistakes below are the ones that turn a restaurant account into unpaid work. Check each one before you take a large order.
Use the checks in how to package bread to sell before the first delivery. A loaf that travels well protects the account more than a lower price.
How do you keep the account after the first order?
Keep the same loaf, the same delivery day, and the same invoice format. A restaurant stays with a baker who is easy to order from. Send a short text the day before delivery with the order total.
Ask for a standing weekly order after two clean deliveries. Then check the margin each month. If the margin falls, fix the price or the order size before you drop the account.
A restaurant that reorders is a reference. Ask if you can use the chef’s name when you visit the next place. Keep the ask simple and respect a no.
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Common questions
Do I need a special kitchen to sell bread to restaurants?
Check with your state food program and your city before you sample a restaurant. Ask what permit, label, and kitchen rules apply to the bread you make. This guide cannot tell you which one you need. Get the answer in writing before you take a paid order.
Should I give restaurants a free sample?
One sample loaf is a cost of finding a customer. Put it in your weekly numbers as a marketing cost. Do not keep giving free bread after the first meeting. Set a date for a small paid order. If the restaurant will not set a date, move to the next place.
How many loaves should a first restaurant order be?
Start smaller than you think. Offer one delivery day with a set number of loaves. Make that first order clean before you add volume. Raise the order after two paid deliveries. A large first order you cannot fill on time can lose the account.
Do I need an invoice for a restaurant order?
A simple invoice protects both of you. Put the order date, the number of loaves, the price per loaf, the delivery day, and the due date on one page. Send it with the delivery. Keep a copy for your records.
Can I raise the price after the first order?
Yes, if you give notice and explain the reason. Put the price and the notice period on your one page sheet. Check your cost each month. If flour, packaging, or delivery time changes, reprice at the next order. Do not wait until the account loses money.
General information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Check your state and local food rules before you sell.