Restaurants to cut out US beef as prices soar

Restaurants to cut out US beef as prices soar

2026-08-04

US beef prices keep rising! Due to soaring fertilizers costs in the US, cattle numbers have dropped to a 75-year low. Restaurant owners say that US beef prices have risen every two to three months, ranging from 20 to 30% each time. Unable to take it any longer, some have decided to no longer offer US beef starting from October.

American short ribs are seared on a griddle, the sukiyaki sauce filling the air with an irresistible aroma. But if you want to eat US beef, you’ll need deep pockets.

Member of public
Still buys beef
Yes, yes, yes, I know US beef has gotten expensive. For me it’s OK, because I don’t get it that often. I’ll still buy it.

Member of public
Eats out
Yes, but I mostly have it in restaurants. Buying it myself would be more expensive.

American short ribs have seen several price hikes, jumping from NT$1,000 per kilo last year to NT$1,300 today.

Restaurants say that the price has gone up every two to three months, making it impossible to keep supplying. From October, some will stop selling it altogether.

Huang Chien-chih
Restaurateur
The main reason US beef prices are high—essentially what the American suppliers tell us—is that because of climate change, there’s less feed supply, so it’s more expensive to raise cattle, and that in turn drives prices up. On our end, suppliers basically quote new prices to us every three months.

The cattle population in the US has hit a 75-year low. Even a cheese steakhouse in New Taipei couldn’t withstand the pressure, and had to raise the price of a steak meal from NT$200 to NT$250. As beef costs continue to rise and demand is expected to spike during the Mid-Autumn Festival, it could trigger yet another price hike.

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