Restaurant Photography Pricing (2025): What a Shoot Costs and When to Skip It
An honest pricing guide: what drives the cost of a shoot, what you get, and when a $5/month AI workflow is the smarter move.
TL;DR
A photoshoot price is mostly time: planning, styling, shooting, editing, and revisions. “Per dish” looks cheap until you multiply by a full menu. For frequent updates, a repeatable phone + AI workflow is usually more practical.
What drives the cost of a shoot
Even a “small” shoot includes: Pre-production (shot list, planning, scheduling). Styling (making food look consistent on camera). Shoot day time. Editing + exports. Usage rights (especially for ads).
Questions to ask before you hire
How many final photos are included? Are delivery-app crops included? What’s the turnaround time? Do we get the full-resolution files? What are the usage rights?
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When hiring is worth it
Hire a pro when you need: Hero branding images for ads and homepage. A major rebrand. A signature campaign shoot.
When to skip it
If you update often (specials, seasonal items, new bowls/sandwiches), you’ll be better served by: A small in-house photo station. A repeatable workflow. AI enhancement + exports.
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