Memorial Day cookout prices up 98%

The Memorial Day cookout got more expensive in 2026, but the increases were uneven across the shopping cart. TheStreet reported on May 24 that some grocery staples tied to backyard barbecues rose by as much as 98% from a year earlier, citing data from The Century Foundation. Separate pricing data from Datasembly, published May 20, showed the total cost of a classic barbecue basket was up 9.6% year over year for the week ended May 16. 24/7 Wall St., in a May 24 report, said beef was up 14%, steak 16% and hot dogs 11%, citing comments from CNBC consumer reporter Brandon Gomez. ### Which cookout items saw the biggest jumps? Yellow corn posted the steepest increase in TheStreet’s roundup. A six-ear pack cost $5.90, up 98% from $2.97 a year earlier, according to the report, which cited The Century Foundation. Store-bought apple pie was up 37%, Johnsonville bratwursts 28%, key lime pie 24% and tomatoes 22%, the report said. (thestreet.com) Ground beef and hot dogs also moved higher in the same report. TheStreet said a pound of ground beef rose 20% to $7.46, while Kraft beef hot dogs increased 12% to $5.79. Other cookout staples listed as higher included iceberg lettuce, potato rolls, watermelon, Coca-Cola and Heinz ketchup. (thestreet.com) ### Why are the numbers different depending on the report? Datasembly used a defined basket and a specific measurement window. The company said it analyzed prices for popular barbecue items from brands including Heinz, Tyson Foods and Bar-S for the week ending May 16, 2026, and compared them with the same period in 2025. On that basis, it found the total cost of a classic barbecue basket increased 9.6%. (thestreet.com) TheStreet focused on individual items rather than the full basket. That is why one product such as corn could show a 98% jump even while the broader basket rose by less than 10% in Datasembly’s analysis. Datasembly said rising beef prices were the primary driver of the overall increase, with only one item in its basket — chicken thighs — becoming cheaper, down 1.1%. (datasembly.com) ### What did the meat data show? Datasembly said beef hot dogs rose 18.3%, from $4.14 to $5.07, and fresh ground beef increased nearly 15.0%, from $7.89 to $9.28. Soda rose 11.4% and barbecue sauce 11.6%, according to the company’s May 20 post. 24/7 Wall St. framed the pressure in similar terms, though with a different set of figures. (thestreet.com) Its May 24 article said Gomez reported that ground beef for burgers was at record highs, up more than 14%, steak was up more than 16% and hot dogs nearly 11%. The article also said cakes, cookies and nonalcoholic beverages were rising about 5% year over year. (datasembly.com) ### What does that mean for a typical holiday spread? 24/7 Wall St. estimated that a standard cookout for eight people would now cost about $100, up from roughly $90 a year earlier. In that example, the article said meat alone rose from about $55 to about $63, while sides and sweets edged up from $35 to about $37. (247wallst.com) TheStreet drew a similar conclusion on menu planning. Its report said overall Memorial Day food prices were up an average of 13%, but added that the increases were not equal across categories, with chicken breasts up only 3% while brats, pies and corn rose much more. (247wallst.com) ### Where can shoppers see the next round of price comparisons? Datasembly said it will continue to monitor pricing trends through the year in its blog updates. The company’s Memorial Day analysis compared prices through May 16, 2026, giving shoppers and retailers a benchmark for how grilling staples moved heading into the holiday weekend. (datasembly.com) (thestreet.com)