Done-For-You · No Software · No Login

Upload your menu and a few invoices.
Receive print-ready recipe and cost cards in 24 hours.

Manager cards for cost control · Employee cards for consistent builds and portions

Most recipe costing software requires you to log in, build a database, and maintain it yourself. We do it for you — send us your menu and invoices, we return print-ready PDFs.

Submit Your Menu See What You Get
24hrTurnaround
2Card Sets Per Item
0Software to Learn
📸Photo Cards Available
No platform to operate
✓ No database setup
✓ No training required
✓ No login. Ever.
✓ PDFs back in 24hr

Software wants you to do the work. We do it for you.

Platforms like meez, MarketMan, and WISK are powerful tools — for operators with a dedicated manager to run them. If you're an independent operator without a corporate back office, you need a different answer.

The problem with subscription software for independent operators

Most recipe costing platforms charge $150–$400/month and require you to manually enter every recipe, sync every invoice, and maintain your own database. If protein prices change, you update it. If you hire a new chef, you retrain them on the system. The software is powerful — but the burden is on you. For an independent restaurant or c-store to-go kitchen without a dedicated ops manager, it's one more thing to maintain that doesn't get maintained.

Recipe Costing Software (meez, MarketMan, WISK…)
  • $150–$400/month subscription
  • You enter every recipe yourself
  • You sync invoices and maintain the database
  • Requires training and ongoing management
  • Powerful for multi-unit operators with dedicated staff
  • Breaks down when no one has time to maintain it
BuildCard Studio
  • $35/item or $299 for a full menu — your cards, yours forever
  • Optional ongoing support at a fraction of their monthly cost
  • You send your menu. We build the cards.
  • Your vendor invoice is the source of truth
  • No training. No setup. No login.
  • Built for independent operators without a back office

Three steps to your first cards. Then ongoing if you want it.

01
You Send

Your Menu & a Few Invoices

Send us your menu items and prices, plus a few recent invoices from your food supplier — Sysco, US Foods, or any DSD vendor. Tell us your blended labor rate. That's all we need to get started.

02
We Build

Cards Are Generated and Reviewed

AI extracts costs from your invoice, costs every ingredient at actual invoice prices, calculates verified food cost percentages, writes step-by-step build instructions, and flags allergens and margin concerns. A real owner reviews every card before it goes out.

03
You Receive

Print-Ready PDFs in 24hr

Two PDF sets land in your inbox. Employee cards go in the kitchen. Manager cards go in the office. Send us finished plate photos and we'll add them — along with any chef-specific notes — directly to your cards.

04
Ongoing

Update When Costs Change

When protein prices spike, resubmit. BuildCard Watch subscribers get automatic cost-change alerts and updated cards on their monthly anniversary whenever any ingredient shifts more than 10%.

What your cards look like

Employee cards never show cost data. Manager cards show everything — costed from your actual invoices, not generic estimates.

Cheeseburger
Burgers & More · $11.49 — STAFF COPY
Serves
1
Cook Time
8–10 min
Temp
425°F Grill
Ingredients & Portions
4oz CAB Brisket Patty1 pc
American Cheese2 slices
Brioche Bun1
Leaf Lettuce1 leaf
French Fries0.66 lb
Build Steps
1. Grill 4oz patty 3 min per side at 425°F
2. Add cheese, cover to melt
3. Grill bun on flat top
4. Drop fries, assemble, call order
Cheeseburger
MANAGER COST CARD — CONFIDENTIAL
29.5%Food Cost · ✓ Good
Menu Price
$11.49
Food Cost
$3.39
Gross Profit
$5.90
Cost Breakdown — From Your Invoice
4oz CAB Brisket Patty$1.13
American Cheese (2 sl)$0.36
Brioche Bun$0.45
French Fries (0.66lb)$0.75
Lettuce, Onion, Condiments$0.70
Packaging$0.30
Labor (5 min @ blended rate)$1.90
Food Cost %29.5%
Total Cost %48.7%
Margin Summary Index
MANAGER COPY — ALL ITEMS RANKED
All Items by Food Cost %
Grilled Reuben22.6% ★
Chicken Parm19.2% ★
Cheese Pizza 12"17.8% ★
Cheeseburger29.5% ✓
Chicken BLAT Wrap39.6% ⚠
Veggie Quinoa Burger38.1% ⚠
★ Best · ✓ Good · ⚠ Watch

Two card sets. Every item. Yours to keep.

No platform to log into. The PDFs are yours — print them, laminate them, email them to your manager.

Manager Cards
Manage Costs
Every ingredient costed from your actual invoice. Verified food cost %, margins, and watch-outs. Confidential — management only.
Employee Cards
Consistent Builds & Portion Control
Step-by-step build instructions, exact portions, cook temps, and allergen flags. No cost data. Safe to post in any kitchen.

Employee Recipe Cards

Print. Laminate. Post.

Kitchen Copy
📋
Exact Portion WeightsEvery ingredient with precise quantities — oz, lb, count, or tablespoon. Scale-ready.
🔢
Numbered Build StepsStep 1 to done, in the right order. Resets to 1 on every card. No carry-over numbering.
🌡️
Cook Temps & TimesEquipment temperatures, cook times, and internal temperature requirements clearly marked.
⚠️
Allergen & Safety FlagsProminent warnings for cross-contamination risks, vegan surfaces, and temperature requirements.
📝
No Cost DataStaff cards contain zero cost information. Management-only data stays confidential.

Manager Cost Cards

Confidential. Management only.

Manager Copy
💰
Invoice-Based Ingredient CostsCosted from your actual vendor invoices wherever possible. Anything we can't match is filled in from public pricing data and clearly flagged for your review.
📊
Verified Food Cost %Mathematically calculated (not typed), with rating: ★ Best / ✓ Good / ⚠ Watch / ✗ Concern.
Labor & Packaging IncludedTotal cost % with your blended labor rate and real packaging costs included.
💡
Manager Notes & Watch-OutsUpsell scripts, portion control alerts, and cost-driver callouts for your team.
📈
Full Margin Summary IndexOne-page ranked view of all items by food cost % — know what to push and what to fix.

Your work stays with us.

Every card you order is filed against your kitchen's portfolio. If you come back for a second card, a third, or a full menu later, we already know your vendors, your invoices, and your style. Our $35-per-card pricing isn't a one-shot deal — it's a relationship that gets faster and more accurate every time you use it.

Independent operators without a back office

If you don't have a corporate office doing this for you, and you don't want to pay $300/month to learn software — this is for you.

🍽️

Independent Restaurants

Full-service restaurants that don't have a corporate office doing their costing for them.

🥪

Deli & C-Store Food Service

Hot food programs in convenience stores and delis with rotating menus and DSD vendor invoices.

🍕

Pizzerias & Quick Serve

High-volume operations where portion control and build consistency directly protect margin.

🎿

Resort & Seasonal Operators

High-turnover environments where new staff need clear, fast-reference cards from day one.

🍱

Catering & Ghost Kitchens

Multi-concept operations that need costed recipe cards for each program without a shared back office.

Pricing that fits your budget and project size.

Compare to $150–$400/month for software you have to operate yourself. Our cards are yours to keep — forever.

Single Run
$35
per menu item
  • Staff recipe card (PDF)
  • Manager cost card (PDF)
  • Invoice-based costing
  • 1 revision (within 14 days)
  • 24hr turnaround
Get Started
BuildCard Watch
$79
per month — cancel anytime
  • Auto-enrolled with every Menu Buildout
  • Monthly cost report on your anniversary
  • 10% cost-swing alerts + vendor watch
  • Up to 3 new menu cards each month (no rollover)*
  • Picks up from your portfolio on file
Get Started

* Additional cards beyond the included 3 are $35 each.

You asked, we answered

How is this different from meez, MarketMan, or WISK?
Those are subscription software platforms that require you to build and maintain your own recipe database, sync invoices, and manage the system yourself. They're powerful tools for operators with a dedicated back-office manager. We're a done-for-you service — you send us your menu and invoice, we build the cards, you receive PDFs. No login. No database. No ongoing maintenance on your end.
What do I need to send you?
Your menu (typed, photo, or PDF), a few recent invoices from your food supplier (Sysco, US Foods, any DSD vendor), your blended hourly labor rate, and your current menu prices. That's it — we handle everything else. Any ingredients we can't match to your invoices will be flagged with an estimated cost for your review.
How accurate are the food cost percentages?
They're calculated directly from your invoice line items — not from national averages or generic databases. As long as your invoice reflects what you're actually paying, the food cost percentages will be accurate. We show every line item and its source so you can verify.
What if my invoice doesn't cover every ingredient or portion size?
Any ingredient, packaging item, or portion size we can't determine from your menu and invoices will be filled in using industry-standard portions and web-sourced public pricing data — clearly flagged as estimated on the card itself. You can supply additional invoices, give us your actual portion specs, or correct any estimates during your revision window. Nothing gets finalized without your review.
How do I send revisions?
Just reply to your delivery email with what you want changed — "corned beef should be 5oz, not 4oz" or "swap the Sysco price for the new Performance invoice attached." We update and resend within 24hr. Single Run includes one revision round within 14 days. Menu Buildout includes unlimited revisions within 30 days. No forms, no logins, no portal — same email thread the whole way.
Can I keep the manager cost cards confidential from staff?
Yes — that's the whole point of the two-card system. Staff cards contain zero cost data. Manager cards are clearly marked CONFIDENTIAL. You decide who sees what.
What format are the cards delivered in?
Professional PDF files, formatted for standard letter paper. Staff cards are designed to be laminated and posted. Manager cards are sized for a binder or secure digital access. Print from any printer or send to a local print shop.
What happens when my protein costs change?
If you're on BuildCard Watch, we monitor your submitted invoices and alert you on your monthly anniversary if any ingredient cost shifts more than 10% from your baseline. Updated cards for affected items are included in your monthly report. Single-run customers can re-order at the per-item rate whenever they need updated cards.
What is BuildCard Watch and how does the auto-enrollment work?
BuildCard Watch is our $79/month ongoing service. Every Menu Buildout customer is auto-enrolled (separate monthly invoice, cancel anytime). Send us your invoices as they arrive — on your monthly anniversary, you receive a one-page report flagging any ingredient that moved more than 10%, fuel surcharges, vendor changes, and updated cards for affected items. Watch also includes up to 3 new menu cards each month for specials, seasonal items, holiday menus, or new permanent additions. Additional cards stay at the standard $35 rate.
Do I need to log in or remember a code to come back?
No. There's no login, no password, no customer ID. Your work is filed under your restaurant name. When you return, you just submit again — we match it to your existing portfolio automatically. Single-run customers, Buildout customers, and Watch subscribers all get the same persistent file on our end, whether you come back next week or next year.
Is there a real person reviewing these before I get them?
Yes. Cards are built by AI and reviewed by a human owner before delivery. You don't operate any software — you submit your materials, we deliver finished PDFs. Nothing goes out without review.

Stop running your menu on guesswork.

A 5% margin slip on a $10,000/week food program is $500/week walking out the door. Most operators find at least one mistake in the first card set.

Submit Your Menu Today

Submit your menu

Fill out the form below. We confirm receipt within 2 hours with a secure payment link for your selected service. Once payment clears, your finished cards arrive by email within 24 hours. No accounts, no logins — just email.