There’s been a sharp increase in the cost of ingredients since the pandemic. While restaurants already operate on thin margins, rising ingredient and fuel costs, along with navigating complicated tariffs, mean the budget is tighter than ever. Not to mention factoring in overhead expenses like rent, utilities, and labor.
Welcome to “What’s That Cost?” This by-the-numbers breakdown series examines the costs behind creating one specific dish from a local restaurant, providing you with a glimpse into what it takes to make it and why you pay what you pay.
For this installment, we’re breaking down the costs for making a whole rotisserie chicken from Peruvian restaurant Las Brasas in Decatur, from ingredients to labor and utilities.
Pollo a las brasas at Las Brasas
Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken has been on the menu at Las Brasas since the restaurant opened nearly 20 years ago on East Howard Avenue in Decatur. Only the fried chicken rivals the pollo a las brasas as a top-seller at Las Brasas.
Las Brasas sources its birds from Harrison Poultry in Bethlehem, Georgia. Chicken is brined in beer and a mix of Peruvian spices, herbs, and garlic for a minimum of 12 hours, before roasting on a rotisserie over hardwood charcoal.
“There’s no shortcuts,” said Las Brasas co-founder and owner Jonathan Hartnett. “If we had a gas rotisserie, didn’t brine [the chickens], and just hung them and spun them like Costco does, then [making our pollo a las brasas] would be a piece of cake and we could charge much less for it.”
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When Hartnett and John Koechlin (who has since retired) opened Las Brasas in 2007, they charged $9 for a whole rotisserie chicken. Today, the restaurant sells its chicken for $22 a la carte. Back in 2007, a national grocery average chicken cost $1.17 per pound. In 2026, that same chicken costs an average of $2.04 per pound, according to Macrotrends.
Hartnett said the 2008 financial crisis and the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic have caused the price of chicken to increase significantly over the last two decades. He also now needs to factor in the rising cost of diesel fuel for transporting ingredients to the restaurant.
Expanding menu, expanding service
In its takeout days, Las Brasas only served chicken, rice, and beans. When the restaurant relocated to the former Burnt Fork Barbecue space on Church Street in 2015, Las Brasas added full-service in the dining room. This allowed the restaurant to expand the menu and add a bar.
In 2025, Las Brasas expanded the Church Street location, annexing the former nail salon next door. The move increased the restaurant’s space by 25% and gave Hartnett a chance to upgrade the patio.
Las Brasas shares its parking lot with the McDonald’s, which Hartnett said is a key attribute for the restaurant. “We’re one of the few restaurants that has a lot. So even though we’re off Decatur Square, that’s super helpful,” Hartnett said.
Cost estimates below provided by Las Brasas.
Ingredient costs per item
- 1 whole chicken, $5.61
- Marinade and huacatay sauce, $0.96
- Charcoal, $0.98
The breakdown
- Ingredients: $7.55
- Staff and labor costs: $5.80
- Rent, rates and utilities: $2.75
- Other operating costs: $2.25
- Total cost to make: $18.35
- You pay: $22
- Remaining operating margin (profit): $3.65
Want us to break down the cost of your favorite local restaurant dish? Send an email to beth@roughdraftatlanta.com with your suggestions.
