Authored by John Tamny via RealClearMarkets,
Le Diplomate is one of the toughest tables in Washington, DC. When it opened in 2013 its wildly popular Burger Americain (with French fries) set diners back $14, according to the Washington Post. Thirteen years later, the same meal retails for $29. As Tim Carman and Federica Cocca report at the Post, "the wholesale price of ground beef has soared between 18 and 30 percent in the past few years."
Ok, so why the higher ground beef prices, and beef prices in general? As you read this barbecue restaurants in Texas are quite literally removing brisket from the menu so expensive has it become, while a basic "Little Cheeseburger" at Five Guys costs more than $10, without French fries. Costs are soaring for seemingly the simplest of meats.
Carman and Cocca point to "Drought conditions" as the "primary reason for the rise in prices," due to reduced domestic cattle herds. They add that "Domestic cattle shortages mean more beef is arriving from abroad - and it's more expensive, up from $4.96 per pound in June 2025 to $5.59 per pound in June 2026."
The factors Carman and Cocca point to are difficult to lean on as big drivers of soaring beef prices. That's because globalization, or the division of labor, is generally not a cost accelerant.
Moving to the Trump administration, Carman
