Boost Your Bottom Line with Bacon—Loved by 85% of Diners
Bacon is a staple in American cuisine that fits on all dayparts, and not just for breakfast. Adding bacon is a great way to enhance any menu item – salads, soups, entrées, even desserts! In fact, 85% of diners have stated that they love bacon.* Incorporating this staple into your menu today will fatten up your bottom line tomorrow.
Learn more about variations such as bacon types, flavor profiles and more to make the right choice for your needs and operation.
*Datassential, 2024
Bacon Types
Bacon is not just for breakfast! Adding bacon is a great way to enhance flavor and richness to many dishes. Follow this guide for choosing the right type of bacon for your budget and menu needs.
Refrigerated
- Refrigerated bacon comes vacuum-packed or in gas-flushed packaging
- Ideal for operators who turn inventory quickly and need to maximize storage efficiency
- Great option for operations where freshness, flavor, quality and consistency requirements are a top consideration
Frozen
- Packaged in a polybag with interleaf paper
- An economical way to have bacon on the menu, or as an ingredient or a menu item
Pre-cooked
- Ready-to-eat; serve with breakfast dishes, brunch, add to sandwiches, crumble over soups and salads, and numerous other applications
- Quick and easy to prepare via microwave
- Excellent option for “make and serve” operations such as sandwich shops and busy cafeterias
Styles
A bacon style refers to the way the product is packaged. Cooking method and labor restrictions are important considerations when choosing which style works best for your operation.
Slab / Bulk / Shingled
- Sliced and placed adjacent to the next slice in a vertical fashion on waxed paper
- Must be separated prior to cooking
- Ideal for traditional cooking with a flat top or griddle
Laid Out / Wide-Shingled
- Sliced and placed side-by-side on parchment paper for easy preparation
- Ideal for high-volume operations with the ability to cook in an oven
- Great labor-saving option
Round
- Only available pre-cooked
- Ideal for sandwich shops
- Raw belly is folded to form a round shape before curing and microwaving
Slice Counts
The higher the number of slices per pound, the thinner the bacon slice.
18-22 Slices per pound
- Standard cut: about 1/16” thick
- Light and crispy when cooked
- Contains approximately 300 slices, or 33-34 sheets per case
14-18 Slices per pound
- Thick cut: about double the standard thickness, around 1/8” thick
- Contains approximately 240 slices, or 26-27 sheets per case
12-14 Slices per pound
- Extra thick cut: about ¼” thick
- Chewy and hearty texture when cooked
- Contains approximately 195 slices, or 21-22 sheets per case
Storage and Handling
Due to the various cooking profiles, please reference COP Cooler Map for the best ways to safely store and handle bacon.