How to read a dispensary menu
A menu lists a product, a size, a price and often a THC percent. The size is the part people skip. Flower is sold in a handful of standard weights: a gram, two grams, an eighth (3.5 g), a quarter (7 g), a half (14 g) and an ounce (28 g). Concentrates usually come in a gram or half gram. Two items with different sizes cannot be compared by the sticker, so the first step is always the same: divide the price by the grams to get the price per gram.
Eighth versus ounce maths
An eighth at $35 is $10.00 per gram. An ounce at $120 is $4.29 per gram. Per gram the ounce is far cheaper, but buying more only saves money if you will actually use it while it is fresh. The checker also shows a price per ounce equivalent for every row, so a $35 eighth reads as $280 per ounce next to a real ounce at $120. That one number often explains why small sizes carry a premium.
Why the excise tax matters
Many menus show prices before tax, and some show them with tax included. The difference is large. A cannabis excise of around 10 percent and local sales tax of around 8.375 percent may both apply at retail. If both are charged on the shelf price, $35 becomes 35 × 1.18375 = $41.43, which is $11.84 per gram instead of $10.00. If sales tax is charged on the price after excise, it is 35 × 1.10 × 1.08375 = $41.72, or $11.92 per gram. Stacking differs by state and store receipt, so check a receipt and use the setting above. If one store shows tax-included prices and another does not, comparing the sticker prices is comparing two different things. Set the menu mode above so every row is put on the same footing. Rates change, so confirm them for your area.
Why THC percent is not everything
Higher THC percent usually costs more, and the cents per THC percent figure shows how much you pay for each point per gram. It is a rough value signal only. Lab results vary between batches and labs, terpenes shape the effect, freshness and handling matter, and a stronger product is not better for everyone. Use the figure to spot an outlier, not to pick a winner.
How padded markdowns work
A was price is meant to show what the product normally costs. A padded markdown inflates it so the discount looks bigger. A "50 percent off" label on a price that is the same as other stores is not a deal. To test one, enter the was price and compare the shelf price per gram with your other rows. A markdown counts as real here when the was price is at least 10 percent higher than the shelf price and your shelf price per gram is the lowest among rows of the same size. Under 10 percent is small. If the was price is above what every other row of that size charges, or a same-size row is cheaper, the checker says check.
A quick routine
Pick the same weight at each place, enter the shelf prices, set the tax mode, and read the after-tax price per gram. Then look at the markdown word and the THC value only to break ties. Prices move during the day, so check the live menu before you go. This tool supplies no market prices and makes no claims about any store.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compare an eighth and an ounce?
Divide each price by its grams. An eighth is 3.5 g, so $35 is $10.00 per gram. An ounce is 28 g, so $120 is $4.29 per gram. The ounce costs about 57 percent less per gram, but only helps if you will use that much.
Why does the excise tax matter?
A cannabis excise (10 percent in this example) and local sales tax (8.375 percent) may both be charged at retail. Taxed on the shelf price, a $35 eighth is $41.43, or $11.84 per gram; with sales tax on the price after excise it is $41.72, or $11.92 per gram. Stacking differs by state and store receipt, so check a receipt. Menus often show prices before tax, so compare like with like.
Is a higher THC percent always better value?
No. THC percent is only one signal. Terpenes, freshness, the way the product was grown and handled, and your own tolerance matter too. The cents per THC percent figure here is a rough value signal, not a quality score.
What is a padded markdown?
A padded markdown is a crossed-out was price set higher than the product ever sold for, so the discount looks bigger than it is. Compare the shelf price per gram with other sizes and stores instead of trusting the percent off.
What does real markdown mean here?
The was price is at least 10 percent above the shelf price, and the shelf price per gram is the lowest among your rows of the same size. Small means under 10 percent. Check means the was price is above every other row of that size, or another row of that size is cheaper.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. All maths runs in your browser. Your rows are stored only in the page link after the #, so you can share a comparison. We make no claims about any dispensary and do not supply market prices.