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A Texas barbecue restaurant in the small town of Sinton, about a 30-minute drive from Corpus Christi, recently made the decision to remove brisket from its standard menu.
The choice wasn’t made overnight, Andrew Soto, the owner and operator of Butter’s BBQ, told Digital.
“We’ve been dealing with the price hikes, specifically in beef and briskets, for the better part of, I would say, five years,” Soto said.
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Soto noted that prices have fluctuated over the last five years, and, at times, they even appeared to be heading in the right direction.
Andrew Soto, owner and operator of Butter’s BBQ in Sinton, Texas, made the decision to cut brisket from the menu due to rising beef prices. (Butter’s BBQ)
But over the last eight months to a year, beef prices climbed rapidly, and it eventually became too much to keep up with, he said.
When the restaurant tried adjusting prices and cooking less brisket, its foot traffic and sales took a hit.
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“I guess the straw that broke the camel’s back was last week. I was talking to one of my food reps, and he informed me that brisket had once again gone up in price,” Soto said, noting that the price had increased by almost $1 per pound.
That might not sound like a lot, he acknowledged, but it adds up when buying hundreds of pounds of beef at once. And in a small town, it’s hard to anticipate how much people will buy.
Rising beef prices have forced restaurant owners like Soto to remove certain cuts from their menus. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images)
According to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, beef and veal prices were 5.9% higher in August 2026 than in August 2025. In total, prices are expected to increase 9.4% in 2026, with a forecast interval of 7.4% to 11.6%.
Digital reached out to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association for comment.
It became too much of a “gamble,” Soto said, to pay the steep prices for brisket and not be sure if the quantity he purchased would sell.
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“It was a hard one, but I made the decision to pull our brisket from the menu completely,” Soto said.
The restaurant is currently experimenting with alternatives like beef cheek as a brisket alternative, but overall, pork is the priority, and Butter’s BBQ is trying to encourage guests to reach for ribs and sausage.
Butter’s BBQ in Sinton, Texas, is encouraging guests to go for pork dishes like ribs since brisket is no longer on the menu. (iStock)
Soto clarified that the restaurant would still sell brisket, but not in the way or quantity it had been.
“We’re going to implement an online pre-order system where you’ll be able to order it in advance, pay for it in advance,” he said.
Guests who really want brisket can still get their fix from Butter’s, but it will not be part of the everyday menu.
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“We’re in Texas. It’s a big deal,” Soto said about brisket’s popularity in the Lone Star State.
A Facebook post in which Butter’s BBQ shared the news about the menu change to its community said: “We apologize tremendously, we’ve done all we can to combat the constant price hikes, but we can no longer sustain our current business model with brisket eating up over 70% of our total grocery costs.”
“We’re just trying to protect our business and our livelihood.”
Some people were shocked, commenting that brisket was an essential at any Texas barbecue joint.
“In my opinion, not selling brisket will hurt your business,” one Facebook commenter wrote. “Best move is to raise your prices to match the rising cost of beef. If your brisket is good then people will pay whatever price you set.”
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Another agreed, saying: “Just raise your prices, I’ve seen brisket sandwiches go from $10 to $12 up to $20.”
Other commenters were more understanding, with one commenter saying: “Bring on the pork!!!” Another offered a suggestion: “I’d love to see some smoked pork steaks. That could be an affordable alternative to add to the menu.”
Many barbecue fans argue that a Texas barbecue restaurant isn’t complete without brisket. (Hutton Supancic/Getty Images for SXSW)
Soto wants people to remember that the decision was not personal.
“We’re just trying to protect our business and our livelihood,” he said.
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“Please come and support us. We still have some really good barbecue, despite not having the brisket on our menu.”
