After Wetherspoons took steak off the menu, the politics of what happened next
In the middle of May 2025 the 800 strong pub chain Wetherspoons scrapped its steak menu (gammon also went) to considerable comment from Spoons regulars. They were replaced on the menu by a new series of gourmet burgers.
Spoons steaks were not particularly cheap- certainly above £10 but they were still more competitively priced than elsewhere. Spoons suggested that there was too much wastage as customers sent back steaks that had not been cooked to their liking.
As any meat eater who has looked at the price of steak in a supermarket recently will know the cost has increased significantly. On 27th October I stopped by Lidl at lunchtime. For those unfamiliar Lidl is a supermarket chain that focuses on competitive pricing. I noted one of their special offers- two 8oz sirloin steaks £12.49. Perhaps a year ago this would have been in the £7-8 range.
Towards the end of May 2025 the UK’s largest pub company Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) published its results showing a 10.4% increase in profits.
However one notable concern was the cost of meat. CEO Phil Urban commented that higher food costs was a significant issue particularly steak. However Urban notes that M&B have a steak brand, Sizzling Pubs ‘so we’re not going to compromise on quality’
Therein lay the Wetherspoons steak conundrum. Either reduce the quality of steaks served or charge a price many won’t pay. Alternatively don’t sell them..
The FT (25th October) provided an update on UK and US steak prices. A shortage of cattle (perhaps some are on strike?) and increasing demand for protein from steaks. The upmarket steak chain Hawksmoor has increased the price of a 450g ribeye steak from £52 (2024) to £57 (2025). Rump steak still costs £27 but the portion is not 275g instead of 300g.
There is of course a wider politics here. While the environmental impact of an agribusiness that eventually puts steak on the plate is and should be a key issue, it does not seem to be impacting demand for steak. Those who are vegetarians or vegans may feel that steak disappearing off menus or becoming unaffordable for many is in principle good. However its not an ideal way to get people to reduce their meat consumption.
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