Beef prices up 14% for Memorial Day

Retail beef prices heading into Memorial Day were running about 14% above a year earlier, according to a 24/7 Wall St. analysis published Sunday, adding to the cost of one of the holiday’s most common purchases. The same analysis said steak prices were up 16% and hot dog prices 11%, extending a broader run-up in grilling staples. Local reporting from Utah on Monday showed shoppers still planning backyard meals, but changing what they bought and how closely they watched the bill. ### Which cookout items saw the biggest jumps? 24/7 Wall St. said ground beef for burgers was at record highs, up more than 14% from a year earlier, while steak was up more than 16% and hot dogs nearly 11%. Fox Business, citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data, separately reported ground beef prices were up 14.5% year over year and steak prices 16.1%, with the BLS index for frankfurters up 10.7%. (247wallst.com) TheStreet reported that some Memorial Day grocery staples had climbed by as much as 98% from a year earlier. Scripps News reported barbecue items such as burgers, hot dogs and watermelon were up an average of 13% in 2026 from 2025, and said six ears of yellow corn averaged $5.90 versus $2.97 a year earlier. ### Why is beef rising faster than some other meats? (247wallst.com) U.S. cattle inventories have fallen to the lowest level in more than 70 years, Fox Business reported, citing drought-driven herd liquidation and higher ranching costs. That supply squeeze has pushed beef prices up faster than some alternatives. Chicken prices, by contrast, were down slightly from a year earlier, Fox Business said. (thestreet.com) The outlet reported chicken was down 0.7% overall, with fresh whole chicken down 1.8%, giving shoppers a lower-cost substitute if they were willing to swap out burgers or steaks. ### How are shoppers responding at the store? Salt Lake City shoppers told Fox 13 News they were still holding Memorial Day cookouts, but were paying more attention to what went into the cart. (foxbusiness.com) The station said families were trying to preserve holiday traditions while trimming or reconsidering purchases as food costs rose. ABC7 New York, in a separate local report published before the holiday, said higher prices for meat, fruit and vegetables were pushing consumers to look for ways to keep barbecue costs down. That report framed the response less as canceling plans than as adjusting menus and shopping more carefully. ### How expensive is a full cookout this year? (fox13now.com) Rabobank estimated a Memorial Day cookout for 10 people would cost about $103 this year, according to a Reuters-republished U.S. News report cited in search results and a separate NewsBreak pickup of the bank’s annual BBQ Index. The NewsBreak summary said steak reached a record $12.74 a pound and beef prices had climbed about 17% over 12 months. (abc7ny.com) KENS 5, citing WalletHub, reported that families were projected to spend an average of $33 on cookout food and decorations, up 5% from last year. The two estimates measure different baskets, but both pointed to a more expensive holiday meal. ### What should shoppers watch after Memorial Day? (usnews.com) May 25 reporting from Fox 13 Utah suggested the immediate next step for consumers was still at the grocery store, where holiday shoppers were making last-minute choices about proteins and sides. National price trackers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics will show in coming monthly data whether beef and other grilling staples remain elevated into the summer. (fox13now.com) (kens5.com)