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In the whimsical world of Steven Universe, Big Donut is a beloved staple.
One of the show’s recurring themes is Steven’s almost daily visits to Big Donut, which appears to be the only doughnut shop in Beach City.
However, another humorous aspect of Beach City is its apparent lack of residents. Whenever we see Steven inside Big Donut, he often seems to be the sole customer.
This leads to the intriguing question: how does Big Donut stay in business?
Curiosity got the better of us, and we decided to investigate the annual profits of Big Donut.
It turns out, the shop’s revenue is estimated to be around $50,000.
This figure is generous and relies on assumptions about Beach City’s population, which is limited to the few characters featured in the series. It also doesn’t fully account for operational costs. Nonetheless, it sheds light on how Big Donut remains viable beyond Steven’s frequent purchases.
Join us as we explore the workings of a fictional doughnut shop in a cartoon universe where sentient gemstones battle monsters and experience deep emotions.
The Menu
The menu at Big Donut is, let’s say, rather unconventional.
In the episode “Shirt Club,” we catch a glimpse of the Big Donut menu when Mayor Dewey’s son, Buck, looks up to order a salad instead.
Currently, a single donut is priced at $0.99, while a “combo” of two donuts costs $3.39. The “Triple!!,” which seems to include three donuts, is offered at $2.49.
It’s essential to remember that this is a children’s cartoon, and scrutinizing a fleeting shot of a menu might be a stretch.
That said, let’s dive into it.
Assuming that most customers purchase about half a dozen donuts per visit, with the popular “Triple!!” and full dozen being common choices, this seems plausible.
Moreover, characters like Steven often leave with a full bag of donuts—indicating they aren’t just ordering one—especially since the shop has limited seating.
Let’s also assume that half of the customers order a large black coffee at approximately $2.29.
Next, we need to estimate the customer flow at Big Donut, which is trickier than it sounds.
Big Donut’s Total Annual Revenue
We reviewed numerous episodes from all seasons of Steven Universe featuring Big Donut (about 25 episodes) to gather our data.
It appears Steven visits Big Donut nearly every day, ensuring at least one customer daily.
However, Steven is often the only customer visible on these days, with few others around.
Considering that Steven has a laid-back lifestyle, we assume Big Donut averages about 50 customers daily, particularly on bustling weekends.
This translates to approximately 50 customers purchasing an average of 6 donuts each, with around 25 of them ordering coffee.
This results in an average daily revenue of about $307, amounting to $9,371 monthly.
Calculating annually, if Big Donut earns $9,371 monthly, the revenue totals approximately $112,452 each year.
Big Donut’s Big Profits
With the revenue established, let’s evaluate Big Donut’s expenses.
- The average food cost for coffee and donut shops typically hovers around 15% of revenues. Given the variety of toppings and pre-packaged items like Lion Lickers, let’s estimate their food costs at closer to 20%.
- Regarding wages, let’s assume the two identifiable employees, Lars and Sadie, work part-time at minimum wage. With Big Donut set in a fictional version of the Delmarva Peninsula, the average minimum wage across the region is about $8.17 per hour. If they each work 20 hours weekly, their monthly cost to the shop would be around $1,307.20 combined.
- Given the operating hours—opening at 7:30 A.M. on Sundays and 7 A.M. on weekdays—let’s consider a possible third employee to cover longer hours, earning about $9 per hour, adding another $1,440 monthly in wages.
- Rent typically accounts for about 8% of revenues.
- While we won’t delve into taxes here, they are a vital consideration, particularly with the 6% sales tax on food items.
- As a side note, napkins are always complimentary.
Now, let’s finalize our calculations:
- Yearly Revenue = $112,452
- Yearly Food Cost = $22,490
- Yearly Rent = $8,996.16
- Yearly Employee Wages = $32,966.40
- Profits = Revenue – (Food Cost + Rent + Wages)
- Yearly Profits for Big Donut = $47,999.44
The Results
In the realm of small businesses, Big Donut isn’t poised to rival giants like Krispy Kreme. However, a profit of around $50,000 annually is commendable—it surpasses what Bob’s Burgers managed to achieve.
That said, the notion of 50 customers daily might be overstated, given the small resident population of Beach City.
Additionally, it’s unlikely that all employees earn such low wages, especially considering that at least one adult likely works full-time at Big Donut.
Yet, as several keen readers might point out, we must remember: this is a children’s cartoon. Perhaps we’re overanalyzing the details.
Author
Ryan Morris was a writer for the Zippia Advice blog who tried to make the job process a little more entertaining for all those involved. He obtained his BA and Masters from Appalachian State University.
