Memorial Day grilling prices rise, deals available

Fox Business reported on May 22 that Memorial Day grilling staples cost more this year, with beef, hot dogs and fresh vegetables all showing year-over-year price increases in recent inflation data. ConsumerAffairs reported a day earlier that beef prices were nearing record highs ahead of the holiday weekend. (foxbusiness.com) At the same time, retailers and publishers tracking sales said Memorial Day weekend brought broad discounts on grills, griddles and smokers from brands including Weber, Traeger and Kamado Joe. (consumeraffairs.com) The split is straightforward for shoppers: groceries are getting more expensive, while equipment is being marked down. WIRED said some Memorial Day grill and griddle deals reached as much as $250 off. (wired.com) USA Today separately said retailers including Lowe’s, Ace and REI were running holiday grill promotions. ### Which cookout items are getting pricier? Fox Business said beef, hot dogs and fresh vegetables all posted year-over-year increases heading into Memorial Day weekend. Its report highlighted tomatoes as one of the sharper movers, saying tomato prices were up 39.7% from a year earlier, while some other proteins such as chicken were cheaper. (foxbusiness.com) CNBC said on May 22 that ground beef, hot dogs and beer were among the barbecue staples posting sharp price increases in the latest Consumer Price Index data. That added to the pressure on a holiday meal that already tends to concentrate spending into a single weekend. (wired.com) ### Why is beef taking the biggest hit? ConsumerAffairs said beef prices were being driven by low supply and strong demand. Its report said the U.S. cattle herd had fallen to its smallest level in decades, with drought conditions and high feed costs contributing to herd reductions. (foxbusiness.com) MSN’s pickup of the same pricing story said the U.S. cattle herd was at its lowest level in more than 70 years after ranchers cut back following years of drought and expensive feed. ConsumerAffairs said those conditions were pushing some consumers toward cheaper grilling alternatives for the holiday. (cnbc.com) ### Are shoppers being pushed toward cheaper proteins? Fox Business said chicken was among the items that had actually gotten cheaper over the past year, offering one substitute for shoppers trying to hold down holiday spending. ConsumerAffairs also said consumers may look to lower-cost grilling options as beef prices rise. (consumeraffairs.com) U.S. News, in a 2025 Memorial Day pricing analysis, described shoppers trading down within beef itself by choosing cheaper cuts rather than abandoning the category altogether. That was last year’s reporting, but it points to the same behavior pattern cited this week by consumer outlets covering the 2026 holiday. (msn.com) ### Where are the grill deals showing up? WIRED said Memorial Day 2026 discounts covered grills, griddles and pellet smokers, with markdowns of up to $250. Its deal roundup specifically named brands such as Weber and Traeger, while CNN Underscored and other sale trackers cited Kamado Joe among the brands in the holiday promotion cycle described in the source briefing. (foxbusiness.com) USA Today said shoppers could find grill deals at Lowe’s, Ace and REI during the holiday weekend. ZDNET and other retail trackers also flagged Lowe’s Memorial Day promotions on outdoor equipment, indicating the discounts were not limited to one chain. (usnews.com) ### What should shoppers watch through the holiday weekend? Memorial Day weekend sales were still active on May 23, according to WIRED and USA Today deal roundups published May 22 and May 23. Those listings named Weber, Traeger, Lowe’s, Ace, REI and other retailers as current places to compare equipment prices, while Fox Business and ConsumerAffairs pointed to beef and other food categories as the part of the cookout budget under the most pressure. (wired.com) (usatoday.com)