Beef has ever been a summertime staple. Now, for the first clip successful years, Americans are really buying little of it
By Jonathan Small | edited by Dan Bova | Aug 18, 2026
There are less hamburgers connected the grill this summer. After astir 2 years of relentless value hikes, Americans are yet pulling backmost connected buying beef. Sales are down 0.3% successful the 13 weeks ending successful mid-July, according to Bloomberg. This is correct during Memorial Day and July Fourth, typically the strongest agelong of the twelvemonth for beef demand. In each of the 2 erstwhile years, volumes had grown astir 5% complete the aforesaid period. Meanwhile, chickenhearted income roseate 2%.
Aaron Kaufman is 1 of the holdouts. The 32-year-old moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan this spring, and connected his first market tally saw beef astatine $8 a pound, up from $6 backmost successful Brooklyn. He switched to chickenhearted instead. “Every erstwhile successful a while, I’ll dainty myself if it’s connected sale,” he told Bloomberg.
Fast-food chains person noticed too. Shake Shack‘s CFO said beef ostentation should easiness successful the backmost half of the year. Burger King’s genitor institution expects existent relief, but not until early 2027. The cattle herd remains adjacent its lowest constituent successful 5 decades, truthful don’t expect market prices to driblet anytime soon.
There are less hamburgers connected the grill this summer. After astir 2 years of relentless value hikes, Americans are yet pulling backmost connected buying beef. Sales are down 0.3% successful the 13 weeks ending successful mid-July, according to Bloomberg. This is correct during Memorial Day and July Fourth, typically the strongest agelong of the twelvemonth for beef demand. In each of the 2 erstwhile years, volumes had grown astir 5% complete the aforesaid period. Meanwhile, chickenhearted income roseate 2%.
Aaron Kaufman is 1 of the holdouts. The 32-year-old moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan this spring, and connected his first market tally saw beef astatine $8 a pound, up from $6 backmost successful Brooklyn. He switched to chickenhearted instead. “Every erstwhile successful a while, I’ll dainty myself if it’s connected sale,” he told Bloomberg.
Fast-food chains person noticed too. Shake Shack‘s CFO said beef ostentation should easiness successful the backmost half of the year. Burger King’s genitor institution expects existent relief, but not until early 2027. The cattle herd remains adjacent its lowest constituent successful 5 decades, truthful don’t expect market prices to driblet anytime soon.
Jonathan Small is simply a bestselling author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he... Read more
English (US) · 
Indonesian (ID) · 
