AUSTIN, Texas — High beef prices are forcing Texas barbecue restaurants to raise menu prices, promote less expensive meats and reconsider whether they can remain open as brisket becomes increasingly difficult to sell profitably.
The pressure is especially severe for small smokehouses because a raw brisket loses substantial weight during trimming and hours of cooking. Restaurants must cover labor, wood, rent and other expenses with fewer pounds of finished meat, amplifying every increase in wholesale cost.
Several Texas barbecue businesses have closed during the price surge, including Brett’s BBQ Shop, Kirby’s BBQ, Sabar BBQ and Wright On Taco & BBQ, according to reports published in May. Other operators have increased brisket prices, reduced portions or highlighted pork and chicken.
Economists and cattle producers point to years of drought, high feed costs and a U.S. cattle herd near its lowest level in decades. Rebuilding the herd takes time because ranchers must retain breeding animals rather than sending them to market, which can further limit short-term beef supplies.
The strain reaches beyond restaurants. Ranchers have said high retail prices do not necessarily translate into stronger profits because their operating costs have also increased and meatpacking is concentrated among a small number of companies. State and federal officials have examined competition in the packing industry, though economists caution that concentration alone does not explain the recent price spike.
Sources: Moneywise, The Washington Post, The Texas Tribune and WBUR. Original report published May 26, 2026.
