Beef’s Sizzling Performance for Summer Grilling Season

Beef Cut Preferences 

Digging deeper into which beef cuts consumers gravitate toward throughout the summer, they indicate a higher rate of intent to cook steaks for Father’s Day compared to other top summer grilling occasions.⁴ This is reflected in consumer behavior, as national beef loin sales, (which includes top loin, tenderloin, T-bone, and porterhouse steaks) increased by 28% the week of Father’s Day in 2024.³ 

However, on a week-to-week basis, ground beef remains the most popular choice for summer grilling. At a national level, ground beef accounts for roughly 40% of sales by dollar sales and 50% by volume. Beef loin and ribeye are a distant second and third place by dollar sales.³ 

The data also suggests there is a regional component to which beef cuts are preferred at various times throughout the summer grilling season. For example, in the Great Lakes and Plains Regions, ground beef is particularly popular throughout the summer compared to other regions. Meanwhile, California consumers gravitate towards beef sirloin, which includes top sirloin, tri tip, and flap.³ 

Additionally, different regions shift their consumption of specific beef cuts for key summer grilling holidays. For example, in the week leading up to Memorial Day 2024, California consumers increased their beef ribeye purchases, while the Plains states gravitate towards beef loin. For July 4th, consumers in the Great Lakes and Southeast regions increased their purchases of ground beef and beef loin. To close out the summer, South Central consumers increase their beef ribeye purchases for Labor Day.³ (See Figure 3 for indexed sales data)

Rising Costs 

Like many food categories, summer grilling meals are becoming more expensive. In 2024, the average cost of a 4th of July barbeque was $7.12 per person, up 5% from 2022 and up 30% from 2019.⁵ Heading into the 2025 summer grilling season, the cost of food is top of mind, with 59% of consumers mentioning “affordability of food/groceries” as a key issue this year.⁶ As consumers feel the pressure on their budgets, retail data suggest consumers are making smaller, more frequent trips to the grocery store to purchase what they specifically need.⁶  With this in mind, budget friendly beef cuts and package sizes at retail may become more attractive to shoppers looking to balance budget with the grilling experience they value. 

Consumers Continue to Choose Beef 

Despite inflationary challenges, there is cause for optimism heading into summer grilling season 2025. On an annual basis, beef demand continues to be resilient year-round despite rises in price per pound. This trend continued through the start of 2025, with total retail beef sales up nearly 8% in volume sales and 16% in dollar sales to date compared to last year.⁷ Based on this trajectory, there is reason to think strong consumer demand for beef will continue through the summer.   

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