Meat Prices This Week: Retail vs Wholesale
What meat actually costs this week – straight from USDA data, updated nightly. Retail is the average advertised grocery feature price across U.S. stores (8 regions); wholesale is the national boxed value that restaurants and caterers buy against. Every guide linked below carries the full multi-year retail-vs-wholesale trend chart for its cut.
| Cut | Retail (grocery ads) | Cheapest region | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brisket | $13.18/lb | South Central $3.79 | Brisket Smoking Calculator – Times by Weight, Planned Backward → |
| Chuck Roast | $6.99/lb | North West $6.49 | Smoked Chuck Roast → |
| Prime Rib / Standing Rib Roast | $12.20/lb | Midwest $8.27 | Smoked Rib Roast → |
| Ribeye Steak | $25.46/lb | Hawaii $10.99 | Smoked Ribeye → |
| NY Strip Steak | $23.48/lb | South Central $8.99 | Smoked Ny Strip → |
| Filet Mignon | $14.24/lb | South East $12.99 | Smoked Filet Mignon → |
| Tri-Tip | $9.65/lb | South West $7.25 | The Best Smoked Tri-Tip – Time and Temp → |
| Burgers (Ground Beef) | $6.25/lb | South Central $5.25 | Smoked Burger Calculator – Times, Temps & the Bacon Blend → |
| Beef Ribs | $5.24/lb | South East $3.99 | Smoked Beef Ribs – Time and Temp → |
| Beef Short Ribs (Plate) | $9.06/lb | South Central $8.93 | Smoked Beef Short Ribs → |
| Pork Butt / Shoulder | $2.52/lb | South Central $1.88 | Pork Butt Smoking Calculator – Pulled Pork, Planned Backward → |
| Pork Loin | $2.45/lb | South Central $2.14 | Smoked Pork Loin – Time and Temp → |
| Pork Tenderloin | $4.14/lb | Midwest $4.00 | Smoked Pork Tenderloin → |
| Spare Ribs | $3.12/lb | South Central $2.23 | Smoking Spare Ribs – Time and Temp → |
| Baby Back Ribs | $3.52/lb | North West $3.15 | Ribs Smoking Calculator – 3-2-1, Competition & Fall-Off-The-Bone → |
| Pork Belly | $2.99/lb | Midwest $2.99 | Smoked Pork Belly → |
| Double-Smoked Ham | $5.36/lb | Midwest $5.35 | Smoked Double Smoked Ham → |
| Whole Chicken | $4.42/lb | Midwest $3.18 | Smoking Whole Chicken – Time and Temp → |
| Chicken Breast | $4.69/lb | Alaska $2.63 | Juicy Smoked Chicken Breast – Time and Temp → |
| Chicken Thighs | $2.17/lb | South Central $1.93 | Tender and Tasty Smoked Chicken Thighs – Time and Temp → |
| Chicken Wings | $2.99/lb | North East $2.81 | Smoked Chicken Wings – Time and Temp → |
| Chicken Quarters | $1.59/lb | South East $0.69 | Smoked Chicken Quarters – Time and Temp → |
| Whole Turkey | $5.29/lb | South East $5.29 | Turkey Smoking Calculator & Planner – Finish On Time → |
| Turkey Breast | $5.65/lb | Midwest $3.99 | Smoked Turkey Breast – Time and Temp → |
| Leg of Lamb | $15.99/lb | North East $15.99 | Smoked Leg Of Lamb → |
* Last updated September 10, 2026 (newest USDA report in the data: Sep 10, 2026). Data provided by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service - Market News (weekly grocery feature prices, 8 regions; refreshed nightly). Each guide page carries the full price trend chart for its cut. Sign in to My Pit for the wholesale view caterers price against.
How to read these numbers
The gap between wholesale and retail is the story: when it widens, retailers are holding margin; when it snaps shut, ad features and holiday sales are doing the work. Wholesale moves daily and leads; retail follows in weekly steps. If you cook for money, our catering calculator lets you price jobs from your real supplier costs – these numbers tell you when to lock them in.